Information Architecture
Information architecture accounts for 80% of total user experience.
Information architecture refers to the infrastructure or the bones of your website. A well researched and thought-out information architecture avoids evoking those all-too-familiar unpleasant user emotions of frustration, confusion and rage that cause abandonment and lingering dislike toward the responsible business.
The goal of an information architecture project is to provide a solid foundation for organization of site content, navigation naming in your users’ vocabulary and an intuitive navigation model.
A user-focused information architecture results in a website that meets the needs of those who visit and use the site as well as meeting the vision and business objectives of site stakeholders.
Information architecture elements
Categories and sub-categories
Grouping of content on your website into logical groups and sub-groups that make sense to your users, makes findability of information on your site easy and intuitive, and more enjoyable for your users to do business with you.
Navigation model
Providing a consistent, understandable and predictable way to traverse your website elevates your professional image, boosts credibility and helps users feel efficient, confident and in control on your website.
Naming of navigation elements
Labeling of navigational categories, subcategories and links that make sense to your users shows that you understand and care about their needs and goals.
Consistent page structure
Page structure is maintained through wireframes that act as a blueprint for each page type on your website. Most websites have 5-7 types of pages. Page type wireframes provide consistent, effective prioritization of important content, calls-to-action and supporting related information on Web pages to ensure users see the information and messages you most want to convey.
With consistent page types, users always know where to look for specific content and it’s easy to maintain the brand integrity and a consistent look and feel as content and pages are added over time—especially important for websites with multiple content owners.
When is the right time to pay attention to your IA?
The best time to engage a usability expert in your website design or re-design is at the beginning of the project—before design concept and before any code is written. It is much more efficient and cost-effective to do your homework and get it right the first time, than it is to fix a poor-performing website after the fact.
For new websites and site redesigns
Taking the time to research and plan your site prior to programming or designing the look and feel means you know where you’re going before you start. A well-planned information architecture. . .
- Shortens development time, because all important decisions have already been made and signed off
- Eliminates costly scope creep
- Provides a user-centered structure to support your site content, frequent user goals, needed features and functions, and the business objectives for your site instead of trying to fit content and task flow into a pretty, but inadequate, structure that doesn’t meet your needs
- Provides a foundation and rules to effectively maintain integrity of branding and consistent aesthetics and information structure as the site expands – especially when there are multiple content providers
For existing websites – late is better than never
For existing websites, tweaks in information architecture can make the critical difference between a confusing, frustrating user experience and a satisfying user experience that converts site traffic into loyal customers.
Deliverables for an information architecture project
Deliverables for an information architecture project depend upon where you are in your website life cycle.
New sites and site redesigns
An information architecture project for a new site or site redesign provides deliverables that act as a blueprint for creative design and site development.
- A site map to be used as a development tool
- Navigational model and standards
- Defined page types with wireframes and samples
Existing sites—late is better than never
If your site is experiencing poor conversion rates and/or high bounce rates off the homepage and other key pages, a confusing information architecture might be the problem. Deliverables of an information architecture project for an existing site depend upon the over-arching issues that need to be addressed.
For existing websites, deliverables can be as simple as a set of navigational standards, renaming of some categories and/or identification of page types and a set of wireframes.
Information architecture is the foundation of relationship-building with your customers. Do it right and you’ll gain more customers, retain and build a base of loyal customers and get positive word of mouth and social media exposure that will ultimately drive more traffic to your site.
ALSO SEE