NavigationArts Develops Web Strategy and Information Architecture for NCARB

MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, June 30, 2008 – The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has selected NavigationArts, a leading user-experience design consultancy, to develop a web strategy and new site architecture for their public website, extranet, and an entirely new intranet. The strategy and information architecture engagement comes at a time when NCARB is adopting new content management capabilities and evaluating their web properties in a holistic manner. NavigationArts will work with NCARB to leverage content across the organization, promote communication and collaboration, and identify opportunities to innovate.

At the start of the project, NavigationArts will conduct user research with NCARB’s key users, ranging from executives on its member boards to certificate holders to internal staff. User research is a critical component of any user-centered design process because it provides a clear understanding of diverse audiences’ needs and expectations.

The findings from the user research phase, along with best practices in user experience design, and business goals defined by key stakeholders, will inform the web strategy for NCARB’s three interrelated sites. NavigationArts’ consultants are adept at prioritizing user needs and business goals to create a web strategy that best serves the organization. Based on the defined strategy, NavigationArts will develop a high level information architecture plan for the website, extranet, and intranet. Once refined and approved, the information architects will create a more detailed architectural plan for each website that implements the recommended strategy.

"NCARB has an opportunity to align all of their core web properties with organizational priorities, and with each other," said Leo Mullen, NavigationArts CEO. "NavigationArts is well suited to support NCARB on this project because of our proven user-experience design methodology and our experience executing web strategies on behalf of our clients."

About NCARB

NCARB comprises the architectural registration boards of all 50 states as well as those of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. NCARB assists its member state registration boards in carrying out their duties and provides a certification program for individual architects.

The mission of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards is to work together as a council of member boards to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public and to assist member boards in carrying out their duties. In order to achieve these goals, the Council develops and recommends standards to be required of an applicant for architectural registration; develops and recommends standards regulating the practice of architecture; provides to member boards a process for certifying the qualifications of an architect for registration; and represents the interests of member boards before public and private agencies. With the Committee of Canadian Architectural Councils (CCAC), NCARB has also established guidelines for the reciprocal registration of U.S. and Canadian architects.

About NavigationArts

NavigationArts is a user experience consultancy that provides Internet strategy, usability, information architecture, interface design, content management, and development services. The firm creates exceptional online user experiences that drive business value for communications and commerce.