Chapter 12. Design and Documentation

What we’ll cover:

The role of diagrams in the design phase

Why, when, and how to develop blueprints and wireframes, the two most common types of IA diagrams

How to map and inventory your site’s content

Content models and controlled vocabularies for connecting and managing granular content within your site

Ways to enhance your collaboration with other members of the design team

Style guides for capturing your past decisions and guiding your future ones

When you cross the bridge from research and strategy into design, the landscape shifts quite dramatically. The emphasis moves from process to deliverables, as your clients and colleagues expect you to move from thinking and talking to actually producing a clear, well-defined information architecture.