Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to design the information architecture of an interactive media product.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

Depending on the size and type of organisation, information architects or senior web designers apply the skills and knowledge outlined in this unit. They work collaboratively with senior personnel, such as creative directors and other members of a development team, to develop the content, structure and navigation of interactive media products.

Liaison with clients and team members is a key feature of this role, as is prototype testing (wire framing), which is undertaken as part of the design process. Attention to detail is also required to ensure that all aspects of content are effectively addressed.

Skills associated with testing interactive media products are covered in:

• CUFDIG501A Coordinate the testing of interactive media products.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Identify project requirements

1. Discuss concepts with relevant personnel  to ensure that design briefs are fully understood

2. Identify technical parameters of interactive media products, including delivery platform 

3. Identify target audience characteristics 

4. Identify content  to be integrated into or generated by interactive media products

Classify and organise content

5. Research and select appropriate thesaurus and metadata standards  if relevant

6. Organise content  and construct a content inventory detailing levels of hierarchy using classification techniques 

7. Assign labels to content that are appropriate and meaningful for target audiences

8. Identify content search requirements 

9. Discuss proposed content classification with relevant personnel to ensure that it meets project requirements 

Draft information architecture design specifications

10. Sketch overall architecture showing the relationship between interactive content

11. Design forms that detail content input process if required

12. Specify search functionality and search return displays

13. Construct wire frame  of the content architecture and navigation pathways

14. Write draft design specifications  to include all relevant advice to development teams

15. Present draft design specifications for discussion with and feedback from other team members

16. Amend draft design specifications to accommodate feedback as required

17. Discuss final draft design specifications with clients to ensure designs are consistent with project requirements

Finalise information architecture designs

18. Conduct usability test using appropriate testing techniques 

19. Incorporate design changes to information architecture in design specifications

20. Obtain final agreement from relevant personnel for finished design

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication, teamwork and literacy skills sufficient to:

• interpret and clarify written proposals and creative briefs
• work collaboratively in a team environment
• present information architecture designs for discussion and feedback from team members and clients
• document clearly and concisely the information architecture design for an interactive media product

• initiative and flexibility in the context of:

• analysing, processing and classifying content
• finding solutions to content classification problems
• finding ways to minimise the effect of technical constraints
• ensuring there is an intuitive and logical flow to the navigation of an interactive media product

• technical skills sufficient to:

• create complex designs using storyboards, maps and other diagrams to specify the architecture and navigation of interactive media products
• construct wire frames

• self-management skills sufficient to:

• meet deadlines
• provide appropriate and timely documentation

Required knowledge 

• industry knowledge, including:

• roles and responsibilities of project team members, e.g. designers, content creators, information architects, programmers and coders
• content classification techniques of taxonomy and folksonomy
• metadata standards as they apply to specific products
• technical parameters of various platforms and how these impact on information architecture
• issues and challenges that arise in designing games

• understanding the way users scan and read or view interactive content
• typical formats and techniques for documenting information architecture designs
• OHS standards as they relate to working for periods of time on computers

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• clearly documented and user-tested design specifications for the information architecture of an interactive media product
• ability to work effectively as a member of a design team
• high level of attention to detail.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• practical demonstration of skills through the design of information architecture for at least two interactive media products
• access to interactive media proposals or briefs on which designs can be based
• that information architecture designs can be tested
• access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required
• use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance
• evaluation of information architecture designs documented by the candidate and of their effectiveness in terms of meeting requirements
• observation of a candidate presenting his/her information architecture design to team members and explaining how it meets requirements
• written or oral questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit
• case studies to assess ability to develop information architecture designs for a range of interactive media products.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• CUFDIG501A Coordinate the testing of interactive media products
• CUFDIG502A Design web environments
• CUFDIG503A Design e-learning resources
• CUFDIG504A Design games
• CUFDIG506A Design interaction.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Relevant personnel  may include:

• art director
• client
• educator
• graphic designer
• head of department
• instructional designer
• programmer
• technical director
• technical staff
• user interface designer
• other specialist creative and administrative staff.

Delivery platform  may include:

• CD/DVD
• games console
• internet
• kiosk
• mobile phone
• personal digital assistant (PDA)
• other wireless/mobile devices.

Audience characteristics  may include:

• computer literacy
• demographics, such as:

• age
• gender
• education
• occupation
• location
• cultural background

• hobbies
• interests
• internet literacy
• language, literacy and numeracy
• personas
• specific needs - physical or psychological.

Content  may include:

• animation
• audio/visual files, such as PowerPoint
• graphics
• images
• text
• text documents, such as PDF and Word.

Metadata standards  may include:

• Australian Government Locator Service (AGLS)
• CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM)
• Dublin Core
• EdNa metadata standards
• other standards as appropriate.

Organising content  may include:

• categorisation, based on:

• alphabet
• numbers
• location
• time
• continuum
• subject category
• random

• chunking
• graphical
• message
• metadata
• metaphor.

Classification techniques  may include:

• folksonomy
• taxonomy.

Search requirements  may include:

• advanced search
• browse via menu systems
• browse via quick search
• metadata search
• search site by text box.

Project requirements  may include:

• access to facilities and resources
• budget
• deliverables
• milestones
• personnel, including:

• number
• availability
• expertise

• prototyping
• technical issues, including:

• delivery platform
• disk space
• bandwidth
• testing plan

• timelines.

Wire frames  may include:

• digital software, such as:

• PowerPoint
• Dreamweaver

• paper-based.

Design specifications  may include:

• content inventory
• diagrams
• flow charts
• maps
• navigation charts
• plans
• search functions and search display
• storyboards
• technical specifications
• wire frames.

Testing techniques  may include:

• card sorting
• focus group
• heuristic analysis
• inspection
• user trial.

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Visual communication - digital content and imaging

Co-requisite units