INFO 601-02 ASSIGNMENT 3 : EVENT ATTENDANCE BY UMANG ARORA

Information Architecture (IA) is defined as “simply a set of aids that match user needs with information resources.” (Davenport, 1997). In essence, it enables access to content by providing a systematic and primarily a visual approach to the organization of content and thus facilitates the quest for information. It aims to organize content so that users can navigate and adapt easily to the product’s functionality and find everything they need without much effort.

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Logic Dept is a team of Information Architecture consultants, who provide research-based guidance to companies, using research to identify problems and finding functional solutions to build a better website and user experience.

On April 8th, 2019, Logic Dept hosted a webinar on the topic “Creating Inclusive Digital Spaces Through Information Architecture”, addressing the challenge of sharing different types of information with different audiences in a single space, especially when one of those audiences is underserved. Countless efforts have been made to create accessible content on the web for the differently-abled, but the conversation about creating accessible content for the LGBTQ+ populations is just beginning. The webinar was hosted by Sam Raddatz, CEO and Lead Information Architect and Clair Rock, Junior Information Architect.

Before, explaining how language and hierarchy can make a site more accessible to different audiences with varying levels of understanding and sensitivity using the example of The National Center for Transgender Equality, they briefly explained what is  Information Architecture by quoting Abby Covert and stating a few examples, such as alphabetical cross-references system in the dictionary links in a website navigation, section labels and names of things in a restaurant menu, links in a website navigation, and the categories and labels used in software programs and applications. The speakers then mentioned and defined the common terms that will be used in the webinar.

The main focus of the webinar was links in a website navigation and how that IA affects how we use interfaces and websites. Clair went on to explain the idea behind this project, the process, and his decision of finding a website that focuses on LGBTQ+ issues. He wanted to address this project from an information architecture standpoint and wanted the website that served multiple and very different audiences. At the start of the project, he defined a few research goals : (1) How to make sensitive content inclusive to multiple audiences with very different backgrounds and entry points, (2) To help the trans community through improvements to a specific website by neutralizing the language and in turn normalizing the population.

Keeping in mind these goals, he started researching and exploring multiple websites and decided to use The National Center for Transgender Equality website since it had great content both for educational purpose and legal purpose but lacked aesthetic, and had a troubling kind of mash-up of content which made it difficult to navigate and find the required information. He stressed upon the fact that the findings through this research can be used in any other type of research as well. The multiple different audiences using The National Center for Transgender Equality website are trans folx, advocates of the LGBTQ+ community and folx from outside the community.

For research, they conducted two types of card sorting tests – moderated and unmoderated using the tool Optimal Workshop. Card sort is a method used to understand the organization of content on the website, it gives insight on how the users would expect to see the content and under which label. The moderated card sort allowed them to get a lot of qualitative data whereas the unmoderated card sort gave them a broader understanding of how people were interacting with the data. While doing the research they encountered a few things that can be broadly considered when doing any research with stigmatized audiences, such as recruitment. It is the trickiest part of any research, getting people to respond, volunteer their time and give their honest feedback. Especially with an extra layer of barrier, where one is trying to reach out to a community that’s been somewhat ostracized, it makes it even harder. They worked through safe outreach channels, internal advocates and made sure that they were clear about the intentions of the research. Lastly, they also considered the safety, confidentiality, and anonymity of the participants and gave them an option to stop the conversation or back out from research at any point they feel uncomfortable.

The hosts further explained the results of the card sort research and how they analyzed and came to a conclusion regarding labeling and navigation of the website for better user experience. In the end, the floor was open to question and answers and a lot of people had interesting questions such as what was the most interesting thing that you learnt? What would be the next steps into the project? How do you reach out to people who are difficult to reach like stigmatized communities? How has this work changed or will change your day-to-day work? Do you share your findings with the study participants, if so why or why not?

Some of the points to keep in mind while doing research especially with stigmatized population are (1) Use care, consider the safety and anonymity of both moderators and participants. Work with members of the community to boost the reach and trust. (2) Be inclusive, avoid stigmatized labels and language. Ensure tools and methods used are inclusive too.

References :

Toms, E.G. (2002). Information interaction : Providing a framework for information architecture.  https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.10094

https://uxplanet.org/information-architecture-basics-for-designers-b5d43df62e20

www.logicdept.com

INFO 601-02 Assignment 3 : Observation By Umang Arora

While exploring New York City streets during the week, I came across a store “Astro Gallery of Gems, Minerals and Fossils ” located in the heart of the city’s famous and favorite shopping district, Fifth Avenue. The store is quite huge and displays thousands of minerals, gems, fossils, and pieces of rare, unusual jewelry and pieces of home decoration.

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Love For Rare Finds…The Start Of The Journey

Since it was founded in 1961, Astro Gallery has a long and rich history. Julio Tanjeloff was delighted with minerals and believed that there could be a market for high-end collectible specimens that could beautify the workplace and homes of customers.

He founded the company with this belief and vision and in 1963 opened doors for the public to the Astro Gallery of Gems, Minerals, and Fossils. Astro Gallery has been catering to big names in the art, fashion, design and performing industries through the years.

Dennis Tanjeloff, Julio’s grandson, took over the business in 1988 after Julio passed away due to a sudden heart attack. Since the age of four, when he first traveled the world with his grandfather in search of minerals, gems, fossils, and related objects, Dennis had been working closely with family business.

By 2004, by curating top collections and museums, running an online business and participating in mining investments, Dennis reinvented Astro Gallery.

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Natural History And Fine Minerals For Purchase

The window display has this large yellow mineral, which caught my eye immediately, and this beautiful white coral was on the other side. One is greeted by beautiful minerals, gems, and meteorites after entering the store, along with fossils that one would expect to see in a museum. The countries from which these items are sourced are listed alongside each item’s name (both online and on site). The extensive variety of natural history items on display provides something for everyone to enjoy, admire and afford from kids to adults.

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Together with the advanced collector, specimens on display will excite interested novices. The museum quality items are admired and loved by everybody who enters the store. From small stones to thousand-pound amethyst geodes, fossils, rare butterflies mounted in glass to decorate one’s wall as if on flight, along with amazing custom-made jewelry, every person of every age was amazed at the items on sale.

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For yourself and others, you can find beautiful gifts. Stunning home decoration items and bath collections carved from stone, hearts, and animals made from beautiful crystals, desk stationery ready to take center stage in your workplace and lamps designed from stones to illuminate your homes are all affordable gifts available in the store. Also available for sale is custom jewelry designed from gems and stones.

The Astro Gallery displays amazing obelisk cut from rare stones such as calcite and agate. An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering that ends in the shape of a pyramid. Rare bugs and critters mounted in framed glass and stone are also available for sale. For one’s house, quality museum fossils are available for purchase. There is a whole section dedicated to shells and corals after going further inside, which have unique and beautiful pieces to decorate your living room.

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To catch the finest minerals, take a walk to the back of the store. Behind glass-enclosed cases are amazing view of colorful and rare minerals lit up on each glass top with spotlights. Discover minerals so big that one can crawl and rest among the crystals in every corner of the store. A whole section is assigned to shells and bones. The bones and teeth of various dinosaurs were on display on one side of the mounted frame with a brief description and picture on the other.

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Many of the displayed pieces were marked with the sign ‘ No touch. ‘ This indicated that due to its high value and history, the artifacts (information-as-thing) must be preserved as much as possible.

When I arrived at the store in the evening, the amazing collection was being looked at and admired by a lot of people. Children were fascinated by butterflies, rare bugs and insects and asked various questions about the origin of these fossils, corals and insects and how they recovered them. Everyone present was amazed at the items on view and had a bunch of collection – related questions, it’s history and origin. I felt that every section of the store should have a brief description. Also, the names, origin and a little about each stone and crystal should be marked. At the same time, if certain studied gaps are left in the information provided, this will induce communication with the store staff and will actually create a cheerful atmosphere. This communication can also be an important source of deducing customer interest and behavior.

As Buckland mentioned in his paper Information as Thing (1991, p.354), objects are collected, stored, retrieved and examined as information, as a basis for becoming informed. I really enjoyed this observation and discovered how people interacted with the information in a store displaying natural history items one would expect to see in a museum. Writing about museums: “In the first stage, the objects themselves are the only repository of information.” (Orna and Pettit (1980, p.9)). It was fascinating to see that, like museums, Astro Gallery promotes and celebrates different groups and cultures by showcasing collective artifacts from around the world. The store has become a bridge where cultures can be communicated, knowledge desired and development promoted.

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For anyone visiting New York City, the Astro Gallery of Gems, Minerals and Fossils is certainly a must – stop destination. Everyone of all ages will want to see the natural history on display in the store and maybe have the opportunity to take home a little piece of the historic wonder.

References:

• https://astrogallery.com/

• Buckland, M.K. (1991). Information as Thing. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 351-357.