How to Create a Site Where Users Can Actually Find Information — Interview with Thom Haller
Listen here:
Thom Haller, information architect and director of the Center for Plain Language, talks about how to create a site where users can actually find the information they're looking for.
Specific topics in this podcast include:
- The GECKO method (Gather, Evaluate, Chunk, Know, Optimize) for organizing content for websites
- Arranging information based on user tasks
- Clarity traps such as familiarity and clutter
- Measuring the success of a well-architected site
- Case study with plainlanguage.gov
Thom also talks about how the use of Plain Language helped the state of Washington collect an extra $800,000 in revenue.
In addition to his duties at the Center for Plain Language, Thom also teaches Information Design at the University of Maryland and Information Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
To learn more about Thom, visit the following sites:
You can contact Thom at [email protected]. You can also comment on this podcast by using the comment feature below, or by linking to this post in your own blog post.
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About Tom Johnson
I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation course if you're looking for more info about documenting APIs. Or see my posts on AI and AI course section for more on the latest in AI and tech comm.
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