Effect of Information Architecture on the Usability of a University Website: A Comparative Study of Selected Websites of Punjab (India)

1. Introduction

There has been a tremendous growth in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector in the last few decades. It has made information widely accessible and available to end users. Many organizations/institutions are focusing on developing appropriate online communication channels for sharing their information. Websites have become essential tools in the dissemination of content in digital format. There was a time when organizations had to follow the conventional practices of brochures and pamphlets to reach their communities. Modern websites have evolved from a collection of simple static web pages to complex sites that offer vast amount of dynamic content and access to numerous different resources/services to their end users. This evolution is mainly attributable to the lack of effective planning for designing websites resulting in unmanageable websites which are difficult for users to navigate. In the information architecture (IA) of a website, the website designers have generally overlooked the important aspect of ‘intuitive user navigation’ and focused only on its ‘look and feel’. Rosenfeld and Morville (2002) have defined information architecture as the structural design of an information space which facilitates in task completion and provides intuitive access to content. Dillon (2002), Pai and Lee (2005) and Jallow et al. (2017) have defined it as the process of designing, implementing and evaluating information spaces which are humanly and socially acceptable to their intended stakeholders. Zaphiris et al. (2003) stated that design of IA also affects users’ sense of orientation, i.e., to know their navigational trail or where they are in the hierarchy. Moreover, a structured, controlled and user-centered IA ensures that a website provides a rich user experience while continuing to meet the information needs of the business.

Addressing information architecture issues in the area of educational information communication and management is important to enable effective and efficient flow of information from the information providers to the users of such information. Well-planned information architecture has never been as essential as it is now. Its importance has just begun to emerge in the context of websites of higher educational institutions where the generation, management, and distribution of information and knowledge are among the major activities. Increased scope, volume, and format types of information put additional pressure on system design. The ultimate goal of university websites is to make information readily available to their end users for their educational and research needs. The prospective students rarely revisit a university site, if the requisite information is too convoluted to comprehend in their initial visit. The right information architecture of a site provides an incredible user experience that helps in gaining or retaining visitors. Figure 1 displays the conceptual framework of university websites describing that the effectiveness of communication channel between information provider and users depends largely on its information architecture.

Figure 1.

Conceptual framework showing the relationship between a university website architecture and information exchange