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    • Conveying the relevance of information to the user/consumer by means of applying information architecture principles with a view to designing a crisscross-connecting model of human-information interaction is key to achieving successful retail sales and as such is the focus of this work.Information-sharing experiences span various technology-dependent environments and these are not self-limiting. Let’s reflect on the experience of buying a product: it could start by browsing a particular website or otherwise by leafing through a printed product catalogue, similarly, the experience can come about via a handheld device and/or software interface and could end inside the physical retail space.Regardless of where the experience begins and ends, it is imperative that the consumer is permitted to interact in a seamless manner and no information flow fractures are apparent, thus continuity is provided by this structured, bridge-like experience that synthesise this process by identifying continuous passages of information: from the web or a software environment to anotherfrom the web to a software environment from software to a hardware environment from the web to a physical environment.In his article, “Design for Bridge Experience”, Joel Grossman asserts ‘Bridge Experience’ [pertains to] situations in which [the user is encouraged to access and] traverse different domains in order to communicate successfully, complete a task, or elicit a desired physical, mental, or emotional response.
    • Close analysis of the Apple website and, in particular, the Apple Retail Store highlights the role of information architecture in building bridge experiences. IA can cross various contexts of experience with the objective of defining a unique human-information interaction model by means of proper organisation of information flows and tasks.The website and the store share a common information organisation - outside of their obvious and necessary interface differences.The navigation bar in the menu shows the following tabs:Home (logo Apple)StoreMaciPod+iTunesiPhoneDownloadS upport.Product organisation follows standard guidelines throughout the world-wide network of Apple stores. On entering a store this consistency is noticed in the following specifically-organised areas:Mac computersiPod and Apple TViPhoneaccessories (iPod cases, bags, headphones, …)applicationsGenius Bar (support)This organisational solution is a good example of efficiently and effectively crisscrossing information architecture between two environments, the Web and the physical retail space.
    • Inside the store, lcd video screens might be provided in the particular area to demonstrate the products on sale, its specifications and any related accessories - highlighting products corresponding to the visited area of the store.In addition, the retail store could promote the most requested line of accessories on the website, so that popular selections/ purchases made by online users can also be offered in the physical retail space. Visual design of menu on lcd screen should reflect the website visual design menu for information-seeking processes, in order to convey consistency and continuity.
    • The location of a particular product within the retail space can be clearly indicated and displayed on the lcd video screens. Such information is helpful to the client in that it provides a clear idea of how to reach the product sought within the retail space: this is an example of how to effectively and efficiently incorporate wayfinding strategies in the information-seeking process.
    • When a product is viewed on the lcd video screen, other co-related products can be suggested using the following purchase-related associations:People who looked for this product also looked for:People who bought this product also bought:These type of suggestions favour a circular flow of information and improve the information-seeking process by leading customers to evaluate needs to which they were previously oblivious. A specific product or service can be suggested as contextual content on the lcd video screens with the aim of encouraging the customer to deepen his/her research. In this way the same information can be retrieved following various information paths through a multidimensional approach. Customers can identify various paths to follow a specific information-need. These paths cross the web, lcd video screen interfaces and physical retail spaces: the information-seeking process can be considered as an example of evolving transversal research. It will be not satisfied by a final set of conclusive information in relation to a specific topic, rather by various references and information gathered step by step (berrypicking process). Users may thus refine and deepen the process at every stage of their research (Bates 1989).
    • Staff-worn coloured t-shirts have recently been introduced in all Apple Retail Stores. Each colour is representative of a specific competence:light blue t-shirt: specialistdark blue t-shirt: creative and geniusorange t-shirt: conciergepolo shirt: business partnerblack t-shirt: stockroom staff.Incorporating a strategy of coloured t-shirts can be considered an effective way to convey a crossing information scent: If we visit the Apple Store webpage suggestions to improve our shopping experience can be found. For example, we can find answers to our queries by addressing our questions to the staff in the orange (concierge) t-shirt. This type of cue emanates from the website but it will also prove useful in the physical retail space, as it crosses two different contexts, the Web and the real world and it allows us to perceive the simplest path to follow to access the information we need. On the Apple website every product could be followed by replicating the colour combination used for the staff: in this way purchasers know who to address their questions to, in order to have further information about a product, how to use it and suggestions about other products. A key or legend explaining the colour combination should be shown at the bottom of the product’s page to avoid information overload. Colours are an efficient and effective mechanism for conveying a circular and linear flow of information between different conceptual contexts.
    • Bridge experience is defined by a unique mental model the user can keep through a range of contexts, thus ensuring homogeneous interaction. To convey this homogeneity, people need signals and cues connecting the digital world to the physical space: textual contents can offer a great help to obtain this consistency.Textual labels, icons and symbols, work as signals both in the realm of the web and within physical retail space. The way these signals communicate with people can show consistency through contexts of experience: the box “Shopping Tips from the Apple Store” , shows a particular style of communication - warm and close to its users yet not overly confidential.
    • This case study allows an easier understanding on how bridge experiences help individuals to get access to the information. The analysis focuses on Ikea’s catalogue and retail store. Ikea’s actual approach to information is managed in different ways, according to the context: either the products’ catalogue, the website or the retail stores.The main goal is to develop an unique organizational scheme for the entire system, starting from the products’ catalogue redesign.
    • Ikea’s strategy towards emotional buyers aims to induce them to feel part of a whole evolutionary process: we call it experiential shopping. Customers are actively involved in the shopping experience. They begin by choosing their products at home on the website or on the paper catalogue, then they collect their products at the store, and the final step would be to assemble the items by themselves following the instructions.
    • The annual catalogue shows the range of products for sale, related technical guides and the extra services information.It is built on a hierarchic-enumerating classification: 15 classes highlighted by different colours and relative subclasses.
    • From this taxonomy’s analysis we can notice several division’s criteria used for each hierarchical level.The interference of different categories causes product’s repetitions displays.Moreover, some subclasses have no hierarchical relation with related classes (for example flooring is catalogued under “Textiles”). Labelling imprecision, found in the Italian catalogue, causes confusion and doubts as well.After this analysis, we can affirm that the catalogue’s information architecture is theoretically incoherent and chaotic, from a scientific point of view.
    • Beyond this consideration, it is important to check if this classification works anyway for Ikea customers and if it is suitable for Ikea context. The main catalogue’s classes are created on customer’s demands and human cognitive models. For examples:A potential buyer looking for a double bed will normally refer to the class “Bedroom”. But if the same customer wants to buy a cot for his baby, the same category wouldn’t be so obvious. The class “Children’s IKEA”, in this case, is a more appropriate reference.The categories’ order follows the degree of importance: the first ones are the most marketable according to business strategies and sales.These new considerations enable us to notice that, even if theoretically incoherent, the taxonomy is perfectly coherent from the empiric-pragmatic point of view, which is the most important issue to make the information retrieval easier.
    • In order to overcome the hierarchical relations’ infraction and ambiguous labelling problems, it’s important:to create clear and suitable labels in appropriate languageto establish subclasses for each class in order to respect human mental associationsto avoid classes’ crossover
    • The improvements to redesign the catalogue should be placed at both hierarchical levels: principal classes and subclasses.Concerning the first level: “Kitchen” and “Dining” categories can be combined, as it happens inside the retail store. The same criterion can be used for “Wardrobes” and “Beds”[1]: people usually associate them because of a matter of space. Someone who decides to buy furniture at Ikea, probably is not the owner of a big, luxury house.Bigger attention to imprecise labels translation (found in the Italian catalogue) which may lead to misunderstandings and wrong interpretation. Elimination of “Buying guides” category at the end of the catalogue. The technical information would be better consultable if attached at the end of each category. Considering the second level, subclasses relocation in different categories would help to respect human mental associations and hierarchical relation. [1] Ikea catalogue 2009 already takes in this suggestion.
    • To obtain an integrated model of information’s architecture we need:to use the same product’s classification in the three domains (paper catalogue, website and retail store)to set the same distinctive colour proper of each category in all three domains.The website has several menus with different categories from the ones on the catalogue. The main navigation menu displays only the most popular classes and some of them have different labels. In the same way the retail store does not observe a common products’ classification, but a crossing information architecture is important to improve the customers’ shopping experience. For this reason, the use of the same distinctive colour in each environment helps customers to recognize immediately the class of product they are looking for. In order to highlight a crossing reference between contexts, colours can be used for the main menu’s buttons on the website and also for the admittance walls and floors of each department of the retail store. Interior walls and partitions of the store must be kept in white because they are frequently used as background of realistic room settings.
    • Moreover, to realise an information architecture even more transversal, web advantages can be transferred to the retail store. We suggest three interventions:more accesses to departments, following a sort of faceted classificationmaps’ collection and information points to make customers’ mobility easier, to make them aware of their position inside the store (wayfinding) and to let them be aware of the way they’ve walked through (breadcrumbs);installation of LCD screens in the central area, showing products and offers with relative characteristics and giving information on the items pick up point area (findability).
    • The actual internal path within the store is obligatory. Customers are obliged to begin their tour from the first floor, going through all departments towards the storehouse to finally reach the cashier desks on the ground floor: no possibility of detouring. Obviously, this kind of interior space design is based on a market strategy frequently used in furnishings stores. It is based on time spent by customers inside the store: the possibility to have a look at the whole range of products would induce clients to buy more. It may be partially true, but it is not scientifically proved. An obligatory path could be too long and boring. Usually IKEA stores are crowded especially at weekends, when shopping experience becomes quite stressful. To avoid this problem it is possible to provide separate access to floors and direct access to departments, still maintaining the possibility of a whole explorative route for people who like spending some hours inside the store.Moreover the aim of the market strategy could be reached anyway maintaining low cost products display closed to the storehouse and in front of cashier desks. In this way, even hurried or distracted customers could be tempted to buy those items.
    • Pocket maps are available at Ikea’s entrance. They are very useful because they concretely help customers to find their way inside the store. Information panels could be located at the entrance to indicate the departments found on each floor. Each department will be pointed out by specific colour used on the web, on the catalogue, on leaflets.
    • Furthermore, we suggest installing LCD screen in the central area of the store to improve the product’s findability. On the homepage offers would be highlighted and catalogue’s categories would be displayed using their respective colours.
    • Page description diagram allows for the description of content areas of a web page in prose, as in a functional specification. Specifications are arranged following an order of priority and can be followed by mini-layouts to give more details about a specific feature on the page.A page description diagram is useful in showing priorities and defining a context by providing useful information on contents and functionalities for the visual design of every single web page.
    • The purpose of the area description diagram is to establish an environment for content and functionalities in a physical space. It is a useful deliverable for bringing information architecture from digital to physical environments.This is an example of area description diagram for Apple Retail Store. It shows suggestions conveying information architecture principles to provide a retail design that is part of the crisscrossing model of human-information interaction.It can highlight connections between different contexts: navigational menu related to wayfinding cues posters that work as product previews on the websitesupport areas coherent with related website sections.
    • The area description diagram could be considered as a sort of tool for verifying IA coherence. It can highlight the conceptual model underlying a new kind of design: the process design defined by organizational and interaction models.Considering other sections of the Apple website like the one related to Mac computers it becomes possible to analyse further connections between digital and physical environments.This webpage can be divided into three sections.
    • This model shows two relevant connections between digital and physical environments:users can visualize products using the scroll bar, and by the same means they can look for Mac computers, accessories and applications grouped together in contiguous areas inside the Storeinformation design used within the Mac webpage is identifiable within the Apple Retail Store, as shown in this figure, each area finds its equivalent on the Web and vice versa:grey area (overview): an overview on the website relates to shelves showing Mac computers within the Storepurple area (what I can do?): the section “Find out how to get more out of your Mac”, showing software solutions and tutorials on the Web relating to a specific area where software solutions are shown on display racksorange area (help): learning activities and support are provided on the website and within the store. The staff can be considered as part of a specific area, by providing their competences and offering content to customers in the same way contents are provided on the website. The experience with personal training, workshops and support starts on the Web to end at Apple Retail Store.The same model could be applied to the iPod+iTunes webpage and corresponding physical space inside the Apple Store. There is a strong level of coherence when compared to the previously-mentioned analysis.Organizational and human-interaction models are merged in a unique process conveyed through a clear bridge experience. Users therefore receive a seamless and continuous experience between the digital and the physical environments.
    • Each individual webpage like Mac and iPod+iTunes, each with their related physical areas, reiterate the organizational system noticed for the homepage and the overall design within the Store. The corresponding ADD could be superimposed on Mac’s ADD or on that of iPod+iTunes’, this means there is a continuous, reciprocal recall mechanism between the macro-architecture and the micro-architecture both on the website and within the retail store. This adaptability to different conceptual contexts is proof and further testifies to the integrated information architecture and organization of information flows and tasks by crossing digital and physical space and thus conveying a unique human-information interaction model. Through these area description diagrams it is possible to verify that the Apple Retail Store is representative of the entire Apple website and vice versa.
    • As shown in the case studies users collect information on the web and use them in the real world and vice versa: the Ikea case study focuses on how to organise and design information to allow its users to easily locate what they are looking for leading them from the web to the store, while the Apple case study focuses on the possibility of charting information within their related areas in a physical space and on web pages, with a view to highlighting interconnections between them and to highlight how people interact with information and across these environments.These considerations emphasise the role of users and their evolving needs: people can improve the design process making suggestions of what they need in terms of functions and contents, also the way they recognise the information and interact with them. From websites to retail stores, from digital interfaces to physical ones, why would not users play a more proactive role in the overall design and the consequential bridge experiences they create and crisscross in everyday life?Participatory design strategy is the answer because it offers an approach to design that attempts to proactively involve the end users in the design process and help ensure that the product designed meets their needs and is usable.
    • Participatory design strategy is the answer because it offers an approach to design that attempts to proactively involve the end users in the design process and help ensure that the product designed meets their needs and is usable.

    Apple, Ikea and their integrated IA

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    Desc: The design of a physical space can and should take advantage of information architecture (IA) deliverables, in particular when designing an integrated model of IA. The user must be able to easily-consult […] technology-dependent environments, e.g. digital medium or printed paper catalogue, in line with the information flow conveyed through the website.
    Conveying the relevance of information to the user/consumer by means of applying information architecture principles with a view to designing a crisscross-connecting model of human-information interaction is the focus of this work.

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    1. Slide 1: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Davide Potente & Erika Salvini ----------------------------------------- Apple, Ikea and their integrated information architecture Europe's Fourth Information Architecture Summit Amsterdam, September 26-27 2008 Paper available at http://davidepotente.com/apple_ikea_integrated_ia.pdf Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    2. Slide 2: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Introduction Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    3. Slide 3: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Apple integrated IA Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    4. Slide 4: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Apple bridge experiences and crossing IA Close analysis of Apple website and the Apple Retail Store highlights the role of information architecture in building bridge experiences. IA can cross various contexts of experience with the objective of defining a unique human-information interaction model by means of proper organisation of information flows and tasks. The website and the store share a common information organisation - outside of their obvious and necessary interface differences. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    5. Slide 5: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Apple bridge experiences and crossing IA Inside the store, lcd video screens might be provided in the particular area to demonstrate the products on sale, its specifications and any related accessories - highlighting products corresponding to the visited area of the store. In addition, the retail store could promote the most requested line of accessories on the website, so that popular selections/ purchases made by online users can also be offered in the physical retail space. Visual design of menu on lcd screens should reflect the website visual design menu for information-seeking processes, in order to convey consistency and continuity. Visual design of menu on lcd screens Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    6. Slide 6: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Apple bridge experiences and crossing IA The location of a particular product within the retail space can be clearly indicated and displayed on the lcd video screens. Such information is helpful to the client in that it provides a clear idea of how to reach the product sought within the retail space: this is an example of how to effectively and efficiently incorporate wayfinding strategies in the information- seeking process. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    7. Slide 7: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Apple bridge experiences and crossing IA People who looked for this product also looked for: People who bought this product also bought: Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    8. Slide 8: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Information scent and coloured t-shirts Staff-worn coloured t-shirts have recently been introduced in all Apple Retail Stores. Each colour is representative of a specific competence:  light blue t-shirt: specialist  dark blue t-shirt: creative and genius  orange t-shirt: concierge  polo shirt: business partner  black t-shirt: stockroom staff. Incorporating a strategy of coloured t- shirts can be considered an effective way to convey a crossing information scent. On the Apple website every product could be followed by replicating the colour combination used for the staff. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    9. Slide 9: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Contents for Bridge Experience Bridge experience is defined by a unique mental model the user can keep through a range of contexts, thus ensuring homogeneous interaction. To convey this homogeneity, people need signals and cues connecting the digital world to the physical space: textual contents can offer a great help to obtain this consistency. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    10. Slide 10: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture IKEA integrated IA Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    11. Slide 11: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Ikea integrated information architecture Ikea’s actual approach to information is managed in different ways, according to the context: either the products’ catalogue, the website or the retail stores. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    12. Slide 12: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Ikea integrated information architecture Customers are actively involved in the shopping experience. They begin by choosing their products at home on the website or on the paper catalogue, then they collect their products at the store, and the final step would be to assemble the items by themselves. For this reason it is even more important to create bridge experiences, which facilitate the passage from one domain to another. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    13. Slide 13: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture The catalogue The annual products’ catalogue is built on a hierarchic-enumerating classification: 15 classes highlighted by different colours and relative subclasses. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    14. Slide 14: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture The catalogue Characteristics:  Use of several division’s criteria.  Interference of different categories causing products’ repetitions displays.  No hierarchical relation of some subclasses with related classes (for example Flooring is under the class Textiles).  Labelling imprecision, found in the Italian catalogue, causes confusion and doubts. We can affirm that the catalogue’s information architecture is theoretically incoherent and chaotic, from a scientific point of view. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    15. Slide 15: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture The matter of coherence Does this classification works anyway for Ikea customers? Is it suitable for Ikea context? • The main catalogue’s classes are created on customer’s demands and human cognitive models. For example: 1. A potential buyer looking for a double bed will normally refer to the class “Bedroom”. But if the same customer wants to buy a cot for his baby, the same category wouldn’t be so obvious. The class “Children’s IKEA”, in this case, is a more appropriate reference. 2. The categories’ order follows the degree of importance: the first ones are the most marketable according to business strategies and sales. The taxonomy is perfectly coherent from the empiric-pragmatic point of view, which is the most important to make the information retrieval easier. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    16. Slide 16: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Redesigning the catalogue In order to overcome the hierarchical relations’ infraction and ambiguous labelling problems, it’s important:  to create clear and suitable labels in appropriate language  to establish subclasses for each class in order to respect human mental associations  to avoid classes’ crossover Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    17. Slide 17: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Redesigning the catalogue So, the new catalogue’s taxonomy should introduce these changes:  “Kitchen” and “Dining” categories can be combined, as it happens inside the retail store. The same criterion can be used for “Wardrobes” and “Beds”: people usually associate them because of a matter of space. Someone who decides to buy furniture at Ikea, probably is not the owner of a big, luxury house.  Bigger attention to imprecise labels translation (found in the Italian catalogue) which may lead to misunderstandings and wrong interpretation.  Elimination of “Buying guides” category at the end of the catalogue. The technical information would be better consultable if attached at the end of each. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    18. Slide 18: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Towards a transverse IA To obtain an integrated model of information’s architecture we need:  to use the same product’s classification in the three domains (paper catalogue, website and retail store)  to set the same distinctive colour proper of each category in all three domains (for example, colours can be used for the main menu’s buttons on the website, and also for the admittance walls and floors of each department of the retail store). Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    19. Slide 19: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Towards a transverse IA Moreover, web advantages can be transferred to the retail store. We suggest three interventions:  more accesses to departments, following a sort of faceted classification;  maps’ collection and information points to make customers’ mobility easier, to make them aware of their position inside the store (wayfinding) and to let them be aware of the way they’ve walked through (breadcrumbs);  installation of LCD screens in the central area, showing products and offers with relative characteristics and giving information on the items pick up point area (findability). Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    20. Slide 20: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Redrawing the map Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    21. Slide 21: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Redrawing the map The actual internal path within the store is obligatory. It could be too long and boring, especially at weekends, when stores are crowded and the shopping experience becomes quite stressful. This kind of interior space design is built on a market strategy: increasing the amount of time spent by customers inside the store to improve sales. It may be partially true, but it is not scientifically proved. Providing separate access to floors and direct access to departments could be a better option, still maintaining the possibility of a whole explorative route. Moreover the aim of the market strategy could be reached anyway maintaining low cost products’ display close to the storehouse and in front of cashier desks. In this way, even hurried or distracted customers could be tempted to buy those items. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    22. Slide 22: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Redrawing maps Map showing the current Ikea’s map redesign to provide a internal path. crossing wayfinding strategy by the use of colours and labels. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    23. Slide 23: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Redrawing maps Example of LCD screen homepage: offers would be highlighted and catalogue’s categories would be displayed using their respective colours. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    24. Slide 24: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture From page description diagram (PDD) to ADD Page description diagram allows for the description of content areas of a web page in prose, as in a functional specification (Dan Brown 2002). Specifications are arranged following an order of priority and can be followed by mini-layouts to give more details about a specific feature on the page. A page description diagram is useful in showing priorities and defining a context by providing useful information on contents and functionalities for the visual design of every single web page. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    25. Slide 25: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture From PDD to area description diagram (ADD) The purpose of the area description diagram (ADD) is to establish an environment for contents and functionalities in a physical space. This is an example of area description diagram for Apple Retail Store. It shows suggestions conveying information architecture principles to provide a retail design that is part of the crisscrossing model of human-information interaction. It also can highlight connections between different contexts:  navigational menu related to wayfinding cues  posters that work as product previews on the website  support areas coherent with related website sections. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    26. Slide 26: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Crossing area description diagram The area description diagram could be considered as a sort of tool for verifying IA coherence. It can highlight the conceptual model underlying a new kind of design: the process design defined by organizational and interaction models. Considering other sections of the Apple website like the one related to Mac computers it becomes possible to analyse further connections between digital and physical environments. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    27. Slide 27: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Crossing area description diagram Organizational and human-interaction models are merged in a unique process conveyed through a clear bridge experience. Users therefore receive a seamless and continuous experience between the digital and the physical A pple Retail S tore environments. Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    28. Slide 28: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Crossing area description diagram Apple home page / Retail Store Apple Mac web page / Retail Store:Mac Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    29. Slide 29: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Conclusions The Ikea case study focuses on how to organise and design information to allow its users to easily locate what they are looking for leading them from the web to the store. The Apple case study focuses on the possibility of charting information within their related areas in a physical space and on web pages, with a view to highlighting interconnections between them and to highlight how people interact with information and across these environments. These considerations emphasise the role of users and their evolving needs: people can improve the design process making suggestions of what they need in terms of functions and contents, also the way they recognise the information and interact with them. From websites to retail stores, from digital interfaces to physical ones, why would not users play a more proactive role in the overall design and the consequential bridge experiences they create and crisscross in everyday life? Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam
    30. Slide 30: Apple, Ikea and their integrated Information Architecture Conclusions…the real ones Participatory design strategy is the answer because it offers an approach to design that attempts to proactively involve the end users in the design process and help ensure that the product designed meets their needs and is usable. © Copyright The Focus Group 2008 Design: JXWD Davide Potente & Erika Salvini - EuroIA 2008, Amsterdam

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