Assignment Purpose

This assignment evaluates your ability to model structure before interface.

You will demonstrate:

• Spatial organization of meaning (Information Architecture)

• Temporal progression of action (User Flow)

• Explicit system logic (Backstage / System Model awareness)

You are to model:

• Objects

• Relationships

• Hierarchy

• State transitions

• Decision logic

• Permissions

• Business rules

Deliverable Overview

Submit one structured package that includes the following:

1. Site Map (Information Architecture Model)

2. Primary User Flow (Temporal Logic Model)

3. Backstage / System Annotations

4. Structural Reflection (AI Agents + Revision Decisions)

Part 1 — Site Map

(Spatial Structure of the System)

15 Points

Your Site Map must reflect the Information Architecture lenses covered in class. A Site Map is:

The Site Map must demonstrate:

• Clear Taxonomy (conceptual grouping logic)

• Intentional Hierarchy (priority and dependency)

• Coherent Labeling (mental model alignment)

• Structural Stability (no unnecessary redundancy or scope creep)

Required Elements

Your Site Map must:

• show primary and secondary groupings

• reflect structural priority (what is primary vs subordinate)

• avoid conceptual overlap between categories

• use clear, user-aligned labels

• include brief notes explaining at least two structural decisions (Structural Rationale)

Examples

Okay Example

Above Average Example

Excellent Example

Evaluation Criteria — Site Map (15 pts)

Part 2 — User Flow Diagram

(Temporal Logic of a Core Task)

15 Points

You will model one primary task using the Six Structural Flow Elements introduced in class.

A User Flow is:

Required Structural Elements

Your flow must explicitly include:

• Entry Conditions

• User Intent

• At least 2 Decision Nodes

• Explicit State Transitions

• At least 2 Error / Exception Conditions

• Clear Exit Conditions

If these elements are not visible, the flow is structurally incomplete.

Examples

Okay Example

Above Average Example

Excellent Example

Evaluation Criteria — User Flow (15 pts)

Part 3 — Backstage / System Actions

(System Model Awareness)

5 Points

You must annotate what happens behind the interface. These will typically be included in your flow diagrams (see below). Backstage / System Actions include:

• Data updates

• Object state changes

• Permission enforcement

• Business rule validation

• System-triggered transitions

These may be:

• Integrated directly into your flow diagram

• Or shown in a parallel annotation column

This portion demonstrates that you are modeling:

Evaluation Criteria — Backstage Awareness (5 pts)

Part 4 — Structural Reflection (AI Agents)

5 Points

You must select 3 AI Agents from the approved list. For each agent:

• Identify one structural weakness they revealed.

• Describe what you revised (or why you chose not to revise).

• Demonstrate structural reasoning.

Remember, AI is a structural review board — not a generator.

Evaluation Criteria — Reflection (5 pts)

Grading Summary

Structural Self-Check Before Submission

Before submitting, ask:

• Is my Site Map showing conceptual grouping (Taxonomy) or just navigation?

• Is my Hierarchy intentional?

• Does my flow model state changes, or just movement?

• Have I modeled at least two realistic error conditions?

• Are backstage/system actions visible?

• Does every structural decision have a rationale?

If the answer to any is “no,” please revise before you submit.

Key Objectives Summary

This assignment stabilizes your system before you move into:

• Ideation (concept generation)

• Low-Fidelity Structural Wireframes

• Interaction pattern design

If structure is unstable now, interface design will become reactive later.

Model before interface.