Information Architect (IA)

AKTA Web Studio is looking for an Information Architect to join our team of designers, strategists and architects to help with client-facing application design. AKTA works with a mix of start-ups to small and medium-sized businesses on UX design projects (mostly web applications, but if a device has a piece of glass in front of it we may be tempted to design for it). We work the space between product strategy and interaction development. Like all new positions at AKTA, this position is part-time, but may to full-time opportunities.

We are a young, hard-working, fast-paced team. We are the best at what we do. We are located in downtown Chicago and will require the majority of the work to be performed in our offices.

The Information Architect will work closely with team members, including designers, developers, information architects, project managers, and strategists to concept and develop solutions that are effective, authentic and innovative.

The following is a broad list of responsibilities our Information Architect will encounter:

• Participate in initial strategy sessions to help identify and set direction for achieving project objectives.
• Understand target audiences’ needs, tasks, and goals and translate them into creative IA concepts.
• Collaborate with user experience, design and content strategy teams to brainstorm and validate experience design concepts.
• Participate in user research, concept testing, and usability testing.
• Understand and utilize usability guidelines.
• Organize content into logical categories and develop structural design through establishing the foundation of information access and functional relationships at the site and page-level.
• Produce site maps, work flows, functional specifications and navigational wireframes to drive target audience’s online experience.
• Update and maintain site maps, work flows, functional specifications and navigational wireframes for all client projects.
• Document and present structural concepts.
• Oversee integration of site IA and functional concept with visual concept.
• Communicate and collaborate at all stages of User Interface development.
• Contribute to overarching User Experience strategy by identifying how the proposed application architecture, functionality and navigation reflect the strategy and audience objectives.
• Keep abreast of trends and best practices in interactive design, rich media and information design and share those lessons with the team members and management.
• Provide competitive analysis of IA and functional design, as appropriate.

The successful applicant will bring with them the following:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field, such as information design, instructional design, UI design or human-computer interaction (preferred, but not required)
• Minimum 3 years experience in Web application architecture design for interactive medium (e.g., information architect, interaction designer, or experience designer).
• Advanced knowledge of architecture software programs (e.g., In Design, Illustrator, and Axure a MUST)
• Strong background in interactive design.
• Expert use of Axure and other lo- and hi-fidelity site map/interactive wireframe/prototyping softwares.
• Experience building and rapidly iterating on interactive prototypes
• Ability to pencil sketch
• Knowledge of website design and development; ability to work across technical design mediums (working knowledge of CSS/HTML/JS preferred)
• Excellent organizational, verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• Knowledge of all steps required in the online creative development process.
• Understanding of offline business processes, from customer service and acquisition to administrative task flows and financial reporting
• Extremely detail-oriented, flexible and able to work in a fast-paced, demanding environment with aggressive development schedules
• Sense of humor required