[Sigia-l] Can you recommend site mapping program?; also look for words of wisdom

[Janet Wallace]

Hello,
I've been reading this list off and on for a while 
and now I really need some advice. I'm in charge of
creating an information architecture and a content
strategy for a large site in a small university. 
We have 7000 or 8900 pages, depending on what 
PowerMapper says. 

My first question is does anybody know what other
software I can use to get a reliable page count
and site map
other than PowerMapper? Our manager decreed that
we use this because she used it. But I'm finding that
the page count is unreliable, and sometimes 
mysterious problems arise for which the PowerMapper
tech support guy doesn't have a solution. I need something else to
get a baseline site map, and it can't cost a lot. I want 
to be able to easily change the sitemap as the 
site structure changes.

My second question is to ask for tips on how to proceed
from those 
of you that have done such a big task. I don't have
much of a team: myself and the manager
 in charge of the web developers
are mostly it, although we just snagged one
of the university's senior librarians
 for our core team (yes!). He's mostly going to
be concerned with helping pick the content mgmt
system we end up using, but he has quite a bit
of experience in IA. Most of the 
initial stages will be my job, however.

If you have any words of wisdom, I'm game to hear 
them. I am re-reading the polar bear book on Info 
Architecture, a little of which I read in grad
school where I got my degree in Instructional Technology.
My background is in organizing technical information
as a technical writer. So I'm not afraid of a 
whole bunch of information. I just don't want to
get buried without a plan to get out.

 Janet Wallace