All web sites have an architecture, whether you design one or not, just as every building has an architecture, from the lowly shanty by the railroad track to Chicago's tallest skyscraper. The problem is most web sites are shanties. Shoddily built by rushed companies in the dot-com boom days, they've been condemned by building inspector Jakob Nielsen.

Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web introduces the core concepts of information architecture: organizing content so it can be found, designing interaction so it is easy and pleasurable, and designing an interface that is easy to use. It explains why Information Architecture is important, what happens if you don't bother with Information Architecture on your site, and finally gives practical advice on how to be effective as an Information Architect.

This book will help practitioners, designers, project managers and programmers avoid the costly mistakes of the past by introducing the core concepts of information architecture in a manner that is swift and easy to understand.