We will improve some of our wayfinding with a redesign, but some of the inadequacy of the current website is really at the information-structure level: We know, for instance, that the original COE content management system was funded and designed to address one set of users: students. We have a much broader user audience.

In addition to extending the reach of information pathways the website will address by better incorporating a full range of audiences, are there ways that we have not yet captured accurate descriptions of the business and information concerns of the units? How are the academic, research, and outreach units describing themselves? How do these descriptions "map" to Library of Congress terms of classification, or other taxonomic sets, including data dictionaries devised by different systems already in place for higher ed reporting, such as those created by groups like:
• National Center for Higher Education Management Systems
• Consortium for Higher Education Software Services (CHESS)
• NPEC: National Postsecondary Education Cooperative
• National Learning Information Infrastructure project

Before we consider how to approach bringing in an information architect, what 'homework' can the unit do to clarify the search-find terms we intend to capture?

The following documents and resources are files in progress to inform preparation for information architecture.

• View archive of the presentation: "New Ways to Think About Taxonomy"
with Seth Early and Stephanie Lemeaux from Early & Associates,
Information Management Consulting
 
This UIE Virtual Seminar was originally webcast on Thursday May 7th, 1:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. Hosted by Jared Spool.

The 1.5 hr presentation with slides takes a at least a full minute to load when first accessing in a web browser. Note: Turn your unit volume down slightly; the program is louder than most compressed files.

Read excerpts from  Knowledge Management and Higher Education:
A Critical Analysis (Amy Scott Metcalfe, 2006). Published by Idea Group Inc (IGI), ISBN 1591405092, 9781591405092, 352 pages.

The first section of the book concludes with an introduction to the use of ontologies and taxonomies in higher education, and their increasing inclusion into computer-based search engines and concept maps. The book's opening section provides a framework for exploration of KM in higher education and supplying a frame of reference for underlying principles which more general books on KM would not be able to provide to readers interested in post-secondary issues.

• Read selections of this book through Google Books here.
• Communications has ordered one copy; please contact Linda Mears to loan.
• See book review

In addition to texts, there are a number of foundational articles and resources useful to thinking about our information architecture and other related enterprise knowledge management.
• Working Bibliography (updated weekly)
• Annotated Bibliography (work-in-progress and updated as noted)