WEB ARCHITECTURE

Bachelor of Science in E-Business and Commerce

EC 270

Breyer State University

Instructor: Bryan Jensen, MSCIS

SYLLABUS

Web-based services are becoming more common among libraries, whether public, academic, school, or special. These websites are also getting larger and more complex. Users often cannot find the information they need on the website and webmasters are more challenged to effectively develop and maintain their growing and evolving sites. Information Architecture is a theory-based course that will provide an overview of the concepts and practices of information architecture (IA) and also provide students the opportunity to develop practical skills related to information architecture through application of the theories studied to human-centered design of websites.

This course presents an overview of the concepts and practices of information architecture (IA). Students will develop an understanding of the concepts of IA through reading the existing literature related to IA and we will reinforce those concepts by studying complex web sites for real organizations that reflect our best understanding of the organizations mission, processes, goals, clients, suppliers.

I know you will enjoy this course.  Please learn as much as you can as you progress through it, as it does lay down a solid foundation for the rest of the curriculum.  It is my pleasure to have you in the course.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An overview of the concepts and practices of information architecture (IA). Students will develop an understanding of the concepts of IA through reading the existing literature related to IA and we will reinforce those concepts by studying complex web sites for real organizations that reflect our best understanding of the organizations mission, processes, goals, clients, suppliers.

TIME FRAME:  This is a five-semester hour course.  This course is allotted 10 weeks of time.  You must complete all of the requirements for the course successfully by the end of the 10-week period.  The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day which you notify me that your textbooks have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies.  Please be cognizant of the time frame.  It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification.  Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded five semester hours of credit.

TEXTBOOKS:  There is one textbook required for this course:

Rosenfeld, L. &, Morville, P. (2002). Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites (2nd ed.). O'Reilly & Associates. ISBN: 0596000359

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EXAMINATIONS:  There is no exam for this course. 

GRADING:  The grading scale for this course is as follows:

90-100 %    =    A
80-89  %     =    B
70-79  %     =    C
Below 70% =    Fail

COMMUNICATION:  You are encouraged to communicate with me.  I am available as a teacher, coach, and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course.  Primarily, communication is through email.  However, I am also available for conversation by telephone if you would like.  Our classroom for this course has a “chat” room.  I am also very willing to meet with you one-on-one in the chat room at your request.  From time to time, depending on how many students are enrolled in this course at a particular time, we will have some scheduled group chats.  You will receive more detailed information at the time such chat sessions are scheduled.  Please keep my email address handy so that you can contact me at onlinefaculty@bryanjensen.com. If at any time during this course you change your email address, please be sure to notify me right away.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:  I, Bryan Jensen, MSCIS, BSCIS., currently teach undergraduate and courses online at Breyer State University.  I hold a degree in Masters in Computer Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems.  I have 11 years experience in the military as a communications officer and have worked for various large defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman and SAIC.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The objectives for this course are:
Upon successful completion of this course students will to able to:

• Author web pages, and design web sites
• Verbalize the mission of a web site within the context of the organization it serves
• Use research methods to better understand the environment within which a website will be created or revised
• Develop navigation systems, labeling systems, and taxonomies for web sites
• Articulate and apply the principles of information architecture
• Coherently discuss the meaning of the term, "information architecture"
• Apply the principles of information architecture to a real situation
• Create a report describing and making recommendations for web site design.

QUESTIONS:  If you have any questions concerning this syllabus and/or the course, please contact me at onlinefaculty@bryanjensen.com

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