Um modelo para a avaliação da Arquitetura da Informação da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde

Abstract

Introduction: Digital technologies fostered the information organization, generating significant advances in access to scientific information. In the health area, several tools have made their contributions, such as the Virtual Health Library, an initiative of the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information, which provides access to national and international scientific bibliographic productions. In the scenario of information organization, Information Architecture emerges with the objective of planning, organizing and designing digital informational environments aiming at user satisfaction. An analysis of current research on this theme revealed that Information Architecture is not contemplated in the entirety of its approaches. Objective and Methods: It is in such a context that this paper aims to propose a model for assessing the Information Architecture of health portals. As an investigation scenario we use the VHL Brazil Portal as a reference to analyze the contributions of the architectural, systemic, informational and pervasive approaches discussed by Oliveira, Vidotti and Bentes-Pinto. Results: As a result, the model is detailed, which can be applied to the different VHL interfaces, but is exemplified using the VHL Brazil interface. Methodologically, the model that can be applied through observation and instruments (checklists), includes the mentioned Information Architecture approaches, their objectives and a practical suggestion to achieve each objective. Conclusion: It was found, with the result of the pervasive approach, that such kind of asessment constitutes a broader perspective of investigation, which may contribute to improvements for informational environments in the health area, besides to the literature of the area and for the supporting of new research.