CHAPTER 4 The Anatomy of an Information Architecture In the preceding chapters, we discussed information architecture from a conceptual perspective. This chapter presents a more concrete view of what information architec- ture actually is, which should help you to recognize information architecture when you see it. We also introduce the components of an architecture; these are important to understand because they make up the information architect's palette. We'll cover them in greater detail in Chapter 5 through Chapter 9. Visualizing Information Architecture Why is it important to be able to visualize information architecture? There are several answers. One is that the field is new, and many people don't believe that things exist until they can see them. Another is that the field is abstract, and many who might conceptually understand the basic premise of information architecture won't really "get it" until they see it and experience it. All information architects are salespeople to some degree. As it's highly probable that you'll need to explain information architecture to important people, such as colleagues, managers, prospects, and clients, it's in your interests to be able to actually show them what information architecture is. Let's start by looking at a site's main page. Figure 4-1 shows the main page for Dart- mouth College in Hanover, NH, USA. What's obvious here? Most immediately, you see that aspects of the site's visual design stand out. You can't help but notice the site's colors (you'll have to take our word for it), font styles, and image selection. You also notice aspects of the site's information design; for example, it is laid out in three columns and uses icons for such main options as "home," "index," "help," and "search." What else? With a careful eye you can detect aspects of the site's interaction design, such as the use of linked images for such category labels as "About Dartmouth" and 39