Learn how to use content management systems (CMS) as a tool and a platform to teach and practice information architecture (IA) concepts and best practices.

Once trainees grasp IA principles, they put them into action using a CMS. For example, within the CMS's interface, they can create different content types like "Blog Post" or "Product Page" to organize content logically. Utilizing the CMS's taxonomy features, they assign tags or categories to content items, facilitating better organization and navigation. They also design user-friendly menus and navigation structures, such as dropdown menus or tabbed navigation, to enhance the browsing experience. By configuring search settings and metadata fields, they ensure that content is easily discoverable and accessible to users.

Last updated on May 4, 2024

How can you use CMS to train others on IA concepts?

Information architecture (IA) is the practice of organizing and labeling content in a way that makes sense to users and helps them achieve their goals. IA is essential for any website or app, but especially for content management systems (CMS) that allow users to create, edit, and manage their own content. If you want to train others on IA concepts, you can use CMS as a tool and a platform to demonstrate and apply the principles and best practices of IA. Here are some ways you can use CMS to train others on IA concepts.

1 Choose a suitable CMS

The first step is to choose a CMS that supports the IA concepts you want to teach. Different CMS have different features and capabilities, such as content types, taxonomies, menus, navigation, search, and metadata. You should look for a CMS that allows you to create and manipulate these elements easily and flexibly, and that also provides a clear and intuitive interface for your trainees. Some examples of CMS that are widely used and have good IA support are WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.

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Anthony Nderitu

Delivery Lead Life Portals Systems
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Leverage the CMS's collaboration features to facilitate discussion forums, group projects, or peer review activities. Encourage learners to share insights, ask questions, and collaborate on IA-related tasks, fostering a sense of community and collective learning.

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2 Create realistic scenarios

The next step is to create realistic scenarios that challenge your trainees to apply the IA concepts to real-world problems. You can use your own or existing websites or apps as examples, or you can invent fictional ones that match the interests and needs of your trainees. For each scenario, you should define the goals, the audience, the content, and the constraints. You should also provide some guidance and feedback, but not too much, so that your trainees can learn by doing and experimenting.

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3 Use CMS features to implement IA solutions

The third step is to use the CMS features to implement the IA solutions for each scenario. You should show your trainees how to use the CMS to create and edit content types, assign taxonomies, design menus and navigation, configure search and metadata, and test and evaluate the results. You should also explain the rationale and benefits of each IA decision, and how it affects the user experience and the content management. You should also encourage your trainees to compare and contrast different IA solutions, and to reflect on their own learning process.

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Vishal Khera

Sitecore Technology MVP 2024 🎓 || Technical Lead || Sitecore XM Cloud Certified || 🚀 2x Sitecore Certified Professional || Experienced Sitecore Trainer || Sitecore Consultant || SUGHYD
(edited)
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Once trainees grasp IA principles, they put them into action using a CMS. For example, within the CMS's interface, they can create different content types like "Blog Post" or "Product Page" to organize content logically. Utilizing the CMS's taxonomy features, they assign tags or categories to content items, facilitating better organization and navigation. They also design user-friendly menus and navigation structures, such as dropdown menus or tabbed navigation, to enhance the browsing experience. By configuring search settings and metadata fields, they ensure that content is easily discoverable and accessible to users.

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4 Share and discuss IA examples

The fourth step is to share and discuss the IA examples that you and your trainees have created with the CMS. You should create a space where you can showcase and review the IA solutions, such as a blog, a forum, or a portfolio. You should invite your trainees to comment on each other's work, and to provide constructive feedback and suggestions. You should also highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each IA solution, and how it can be improved or adapted. You should also encourage your trainees to explore other IA examples, both inside and outside the CMS, and to learn from them.

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5 Provide additional IA resources

The fifth step is to provide additional IA resources that can help your trainees deepen their knowledge and skills in IA. You should recommend some books, articles, podcasts, videos, courses, or tools that cover the theory and practice of IA, and that are relevant and accessible for your trainees. You should also encourage your trainees to join some online or offline communities where they can network with other IA practitioners and enthusiasts, and where they can find more opportunities and support for their IA learning and development.

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6 Update and maintain IA content

The sixth step is to update and maintain the IA content that you and your trainees have created with the CMS. You should remind your trainees that IA is not a one-time project, but a continuous process that requires regular monitoring and evaluation. You should show your trainees how to use the CMS to check and update the content, the taxonomies, the menus, the navigation, the search, and the metadata, and how to fix any issues or errors that may arise. You should also teach your trainees how to use analytics and user feedback to measure and improve the IA performance and user satisfaction.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Lalitha Janakiraman

I love running 5K/10K Marathons... Staff Technical Writer | Technical Editor | Project Lead | Team Lead | Manager | Trainer | Mentor
(edited)
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A couple of pointers on how to use CMS to train others on IA concepts: 1. In addition to what is stated in the article, create a living document either as a page on the intranet site or start with a Word document. This must be used as a record of the issues faced (from the pre-implementation and testing phase, implementation phase, training phase, and up till the real-time work phase) and the solutions provided for the issues faced during each of these phases. This would help team members troubleshoot their issues themselves, most of the time. Until the real-time work phase becomes relatively stable, keep documenting the issues and solutions. 2. Collect feedback and scope for improvement from the team members to improve the platform.

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How can you use CMS to train others on IA concepts?

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1 Choose a suitable CMS

2 Create realistic scenarios

3 Use CMS features to implement IA solutions

4 Share and discuss IA examples

5 Provide additional IA resources

6 Update and maintain IA content

7 Here’s what else to consider

Information Architecture

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How can you use CMS to train others on IA concepts?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Choose a suitable CMS

2 Create realistic scenarios

3 Use CMS features to implement IA solutions

4 Share and discuss IA examples

5 Provide additional IA resources

6 Update and maintain IA content

7 Here’s what else to consider

Information Architecture

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