[Sigia-l] JOB: Information Architect, London UK

[Julie Zielstra]

Greenwich Council are hiring an information archcitect
(Job Ref: CEX 1) initially for a 12-month period. 
Full job description and "how to apply" details follow
below:
 
For informal discussion contact Julie Zielstra, 020
8921 6409
 
How to apply:  for an application form please contact
Howard Armstrong, Personnel Officer, Chief Executive's
Department, 29-37 Wellington Street, Woolwich, London,
SE18 6PW on 020 8921 5021 ( voicemail ) quoting
reference number CEX1.
 
Salary: £27,495 - £29,730 p.a. inclusive
Closing Date: 17 December 2004
Interview date: 11 January 2004
 
Job Description
A key role in analysing and designing content, the
information architect is responsible for the user
experience of the council’s websites with particular
focus on usability, navigation, and search and
retrieval functionality.
Responsible for building information product models,
element models, metadata, reuse strategies, and
architectural models and site structures.
 
Specific duties:
* To be responsible for a good quality user experience
across the council’s websites and associated
information systems.
* To provide the web team, along with it’s suppliers
and internal partners, with usable and useful
information architecture for the council’s web-based
applications.
* To be responsible for the translation of the
information, communications and business objectives of
the council into information architectures and
interface designs.
* To contribute to the analysis of end-user needs and
requirements and recommend, design, specify and/or
implement solutions for meeting these requirements.
* To contribute to the research, design and
development of new and existing projects and services
delivered through the council's websites.
* To contribute to the creation, development and
maintenance of corporate information management and
e-service standards as related to the usability,
accessibility, information architectural and search
and retrieval functionality of the council’s websites.
* To ensure the consistent application of the
council’s information management and e-service
standards by content contributors, partners and
developers 
* To provide advice to the web team and other council
staff about good practice in the discipline of
information architecture and information management.
* To promote within the web team and user forums,
relevant national information management and e-service
standards
* To ensure changes are made to the council’s
information and e-service standards as required to
maintain the council’s compliance to national
e-government requirements, guidelines and good
practice
* To ensure the improvement of existing, information
and transactional architecture on the council’s
websites to meet user and business needs.
* To provide new information and transactional
architecture on the council’s websites to meet user
and business needs.
* To be responsible for improvements to the search and
retrieval functionality on the council’s websites
using the skills and technology available within the
web team.
* To be responsible for the design, implementation,
development and maintenance of metadata, category
lists, thesauri and other controlled vocabularies used
to index and classify content and services on the
council's websites and other information systems as
required.
* To monitor the application and use of metadata and
other search and retrieval functionality by content
contributors and users and make recommendations for
improved organisational learning in these areas.
* To contribute to the website improvement plan
through competitive site reviews and the analysis of
the council’s website’s usage trends, recommending
content and information strategies and communicating
these within the work of the web team.
* To be responsible for the production and maintenance
of information architecture deliverables including
site maps, schematics, content outlines, navigational
labelling, prototypes, user goals and objectives
analysis and project documentation.
* To assist the web team manager in the creation,
delivery and analysis of user research activities
(questionnaires/user surveys, focus groups and other
means)
* To liase with the web team manager to create
usability test plans and usability tests.
* To carry out and facilitate usability testing as
required.
* To ensure the improvement of the websites’
information architecture based upon the results of
usability testing agreed within the web team and user
forums.
* To assist the web team manager in the gathering and
analysis of metrics required for performance
measurement
* Manage the maintenance and development of the
Resource Gallery for the web team in consultation with
the needs of the editorial staff and other users
* Conduct research on assigned topics, analyse and
compile results, present recommendations to team as
assigned.
* Assist in website testing of new functionality,
features or content as directed, providing feedback
and recommendations as appropriate for enhancement.
 
Experience and Education
  
* 1-2 years experience working as an information
architect, human-computer interaction (HCI) designer,
or user interface (UI) designer in a web development
environment (essential)
* BA/MA degree in related fields of Library or
Information Science, Human Factors, Human-Computer
Interaction, or equivalent (BSc or MSc) (desirable)
* Experience designing and carrying out user research
and requirements gathering and translating into design
decisions (desirable)
* Experience performing website competitive analysis
and heuristic evaluations (essential)
* Experience creating site maps, schematics used for
interface design, process maps and related information
architecture documentation for a range of users
(essential)
* Experience designing user interfaces, search and
navigation for websites or online applications that
support users’ needs  (essential)
* Experience using and applying metadata (essential)
* Experience of designing, facilitating and analysing
usability tests (essential)
* Experience working with a content management system
(essential)
* Experience working with cross-functional teams
throughout the web development process (essential)
 
Knowledge, skills and abilities
 
* Excellent oral and written communication and
presentation skills
* Excellent analytical problem-solving skills
* Excellent information analysis skills
* An ability to consult with clients about their
business goals and propose IA solutions and strategies
that match their needs 
* An ability to analyse, develop and refine user tasks
and processes 
* An ability to document functional specifications and
communicate them to both technical and non-technical
staff 
* An ability to design and develop effective metadata
structures and controlled vocabularies
* Excellent skills designing information
architectures, search aides and user interfaces for
web based applications 
* A good knowledge and understanding of the principals
of information search and retrieval 
* An ability to configure search engines based upon
user research and site usage trends 
* Knowledge of the use of usability good practice and
standards and testing in web development 
* An ability to analyse usability tests and translate
results into design documents 
* An ability to develop and apply information
standards 
* Knowledge and understanding of accessibility issues
in human-computer interaction design 
* Knowledge and understanding of UK government
guidelines for designing websites, including metadata
and controlled vocabulary standards 
* Knowledge and understanding of the use content
management and knowledge management software for
enterprise solutions 



		
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