Information Architecture

Information architecture vs. Site mapping

Sitemaps visualize website content and the relationship between web pages. They're usually diagrams with arrows connecting various pages. Some sitemaps include additional descriptions that explain the functionality of each site; they show whether it's a category page or a content page.

A sitemap usually serves as a tool to present information architecture and show its flow. Sitemaps can be visible to the user but don't have to be. They were initially used as an additional means of navigation; however, their primary goal now is to help plan the IA.

Importance of information architecture

Information architecture is crucial from the user experience perspective because it provides structure and enables users to find what they need quickly. Moreover, it enables Googlebot to crawl your website and index it properly, leading to a higher rank in the search engine.

Information architecture aims to aid web designers in planning website structure and enable users to achieve their objectives quickly with as few issues as possible.

According to the book "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 3rd Edition," users visit websites to satisfy particular search needs.

Four main types of search needs:

• Known-item seeking is about users who come to a website to look for products that are known to them and desirable.
• Exploratory seeking describes users who visit a website to find inspiration; they're looking for something but can't quite visualize what.
• Exhaustive research occurs when users know exactly what they want and conduct extensive research to find as much information as possible.
• Re-finding happens when users encounter a product in the past and want to buy it again.

Specificity of information architecture

As most terms are based on knowledge from multiple sources, information architecture is also a fuzzy concept.

Information architecture is a multidisciplinary specialization at the intersection of interface design, navigation, graphic design, programming, taxonomy, cognitive psychology, and several other fields of knowledge.

It's a concept backed by several decades of theoretical reflection and practice. It dates back to the 1970s and was originally associated with physical spaces such as libraries but also with fields such as architecture and cognitive psychology.

In the era of mobile and web applications, information architecture is a specialization that includes the creation of:

• Site structures
• Menu structures
• Category structures
• Site and application maps
• Navigation paths
• Metadata

Basic components of information architecture

What does information architecture consist of? In the most general, broadest sense, it includes three systems.

Information architecture systems:

• Organization systems
• Labeling systems
• Search systems
• Navigation systems

Organization systems

Each component plays a distinct role within the whole and contributes to it synergistically. The organizing system categorizes and groups information.

Typically, in accordance with the categorization patterns that are clear and familiar to the audience of a specific information architecture.

The organization system provides a predictable and user-friendly structure, which allows users to understand and navigate more easily.

Usually, organization systems can be organized:

• Hierarchically — systems that are organized visually by importance
• Sequentially — systems that are organized in the form of a logical path, a step-by-step process
• Matrically (Matrix) — systems that are organized based on individual user

These aren't the only ways to organize IA. You can also organize it based on alphabetical order, user segment, or according to a particular topic.

Labeling systems

The labeling system is used mainly for labeling and describing individual categories and groups. Labels are used to hide the site's content behind words that represent them to avoid putting everything on a home page, creating chaos and disorganization.

Thus, it is possible to reach the required content faster. However, naming and labeling should be as simple as possible and intuitive. The aim of labeling content is to offer hints to the user, and labels should be worded based on their experience.

For example, if users want more information about your business's services, they will instinctively look for the label "services," "products," or any other familiar word that they've seen previously on other websites.

Search systems

Search systems find information and include components such as a search function (search engine) and filters. They are designed to help users find what they need.

Moreover, the search system is also responsible for displaying search results, meaning you can offer users sorting options and show results in alphabetical order or based on reviews.

Navigation systems

A navigation system is responsible for connecting web pages and links into a logical structure, a path that a user can follow.

Types of navigation:

• Primary navigation
• Secondary navigation
• Breadcrumb navigation
• Hierarchical navigation

And these are only a few of them.

Navigation systems form a pattern thanks to which users access various pages and know how to move through the site to reach their destination. It's the job of information architects to make this process as seamless as possible.

In this sense, information architecture must consider the content audience and context.

The user's issue primarily involves how they categorize the world, their linguistic and cultural competencies, and methods for information searching and ranking (assigning them value and importance).

The information architecture design process must also take into account the user's behavior regarding the information search. The same applies to the context of the content reception.

The type of device, circumstances, and purpose of the user's receipt of the content determine the manner of its interpretation and processing.

To fulfill its task, information architecture must address several important questions:

• Is the information presented useful and easy to understand?
• Is the information presented clearly and attractively?
• Does the information support the user flow, implementation of tasks, and achievement of objectives?

Psychological basis of information architecture

The information architecture design can't proceed without understanding how digital product users perceive, comprehend, interpret, categorize, and learn about the world.

To understand this distinct perspective, the knowledge of cognitive psychology is beneficial.

It's the study of the human mind and its mental processes.

Information architects must, above all, consider three key issues that determine the efficiency, usefulness, functionality, and satisfaction resulting from a specific information architecture.

They must understand what mental models are activated in web or mobile application users when they interact with digital products.

Also, remember that the search for information follows specific models, which must be reflected in the content structure and labels.

Each contact with page content is associated with the cost for the user, the interaction cost.

It includes cognitive loads, cognitive effort, and the need to use more psychic energy and working memory resources for information processing.

Information architecture design (e.g., website information architecture) must consider these issues and adapt the quantity, complexity, and order of information to users' limited cognitive abilities.

Making decisions directly related to mental models and cognitive loads is equally essential.

To make a decision, you need access to information, and timing (time dimension) and context (circumstances dimension) are extremely important.

Consequently, information should be provided thoughtfully and in accordance with the user's expectations in a particular phase of the customer journey.

Benefits of information architecture design

Customers who find information quickly and easily are likelier to buy, submit an RFP (Request For Proposal), or use services.

Information architecture design (e.g., website information architecture) is an important issue in the user-centered design approach. The main objectives of the information architect are user comfort and orientation in a website's structure and content.

Remember that information architecture design is virtually always the basis for design work and forms the backbone of every application and website.

There is a direct relationship between navigation performance and information architecture organization. Unstructured content arranged randomly causes navigation to be perceived as illegible, illogical, dysfunctional, and unusable.

This nearly always results in abandoning the site, unwillingness to choose the offer, and establishing cooperation.

Information architecture is as susceptible to the first impression effect as graphics and navigation components. It isn't an exaggeration to compare this function to the function of the dress code. There are several expectations regarding websites and mobile applications.

Similarly, there is a set of expectations for clothing in particular places and situations. One of these is offering information in a logical, sensible, simple, understandable, and clear manner that aligns with expectations.

How to create information architecture?

Creating information architecture (e.g., application information architecture) is a challenge. It also requires knowledge, experience, and understanding of the interactions between users, site or application content, and a broad context.

The content is strongly conditioned by the needs, objectives, and tasks the digital product users want to achieve.

All these elements determine each other. Therefore, several standard content-organizing schemes have been developed.

They can be organized by time (chronological scheme), alphabetical order, or subject. These are very common and well-known, accepted, and understandable methods.

Information architecture process

To create effective and helpful IA, you need to engage the help of an information architect, design, development, and engineering team. They will aid you during the design process, and their insights will be invaluable.

You will need to pass a few stages to create information architecture.

Conducting content inventory

First, you need to gather all your content in one place and create a catalog. If you have an existing website, take everything you put there. If you are starting to create a new one, collect all of the ideas and content you started working on.

This allows you to determine the most important content on the site and what you should prioritize. For an already existing site, this gives you an overview of your current IA and can help you identify areas for improvement. You can decide what is worth keeping and what is not.

Performing user research

During this step, you need to learn about user behavior and habits. It's recommended that you create user personas and conduct user interviews to discover user needs and expectations.

User research will enable you to gain insights into how users perceive categories and labels on websites. It's best not to assume what users think and conduct appropriate research to find out because any mistakes will result in user confusion and frustration.

There are two popular research techniques that can help you discover how users see categories and what they expect to find under them.

Card sorting is a technique that involves testing groups of target users by providing them with cards that represent, for example, products in an online store. Then, their task is to match these products with product categories prepared earlier. This allows you to see how users think and design according to their expectations.

Tree testing lets you assess how easily users can navigate your website and find topics. This technique consists of preparing a skeleton of your website in the form of plain text labels or categories organized hierarchically. Users are usually asked to find a particular product or category, which allows you to see how they navigate the site and where they look for items.

Creating categories and labeling them

Once you have the results of card sorting, tree testing, or any other usability testing method, it's time to create categories.

You can start by forming categories that were the most popular among users or from those that have the most items under them. After that, arrange them into content sections to organize them in a clear and readable way.

The research mentioned can also assist you with organizing content that doesn't fully fit into one category. Users can help you decide whether it needs its own category.

When you have categories sorted out, you need to assign labels to them. These may be words that are widely recognized by users, such as "home, " "about, "services," or "bestsellers." However, sometimes the labels will be more industry-specific names such as "case studies" or "portfolio."

Labels should:

• Attract the attention of users
• Show what users should expect
• Leverage photos and images for additional context
• Be easy to scan

Using taxonomy and metadata

Taxonomies in information architecture aim to organize groups of products within a category. They're often used in online stores, where one category usually contains more than one type of product. For example, under the category "T-shirt," we can find t-shirts in different colors, styles, and sizes.

Metadata is responsible for describing taxonomies in a way that allows users to find the products they're looking for. If they're looking for a black T-shirt, they can select it from the list or use the search box, and the website will display every product that matches this description.

Search and navigation functions

The search feature can be beneficial when your website has a lot of content to sift through. Implementing the search functionality into your website can be a good addition to the primary navigation, but it shouldn't replace it.

Additionally, when introducing the search functionality, it would be best also to allow users to sort and rank the results according to their needs.

You also should carefully consider whether your website needs the search feature because, in some industries, eye-catching thumbnails and clear category labels might be enough.

Prototyping

When you complete the information architecture design, it's time to create the first wireframes and prototypes. These will help you obtain a full view of the product and the IA within it. Everybody on the team will be able to familiarize themselves with the operation of IA.

You can also visualize the information architecture through content management systems, which will aid you in organizing the website's content. They also enable you to implement IA.

User testing

User testing and usability testing are the final steps that your product and information architecture need to go through. This will ensure that the IA works as intended and is efficient and effective. You can conduct testing with the same group you used for user research or find another one that is not familiar with your product.

Remember that it's beneficial to repeat usability testing from time to time to ensure that the user experience is still satisfactory and the information architecture doesn't need improvements.

Principles of information architecture

Dan Brown presented one of the most interesting information architecture design methods.

He distinguished eight principles that form the basis and criterion of content structuring.

These are:

• Principle of Objects
• Principle of Choices
• Principle of Disclosure
• Principle of Exemplars
• Principle of Front Doors
• Principle of Multiple Classification
• Principle of Focused Navigation
• Principle of Growth

According to the first principle of objects, the content should be treated as a living thing with its own attributes and lifecycle. Understanding its specificity and its nature enables you to make it useful.

The next principle—the principle of choices—is less abstract. It suggests designing content that allows users to make decisions and choices. As a result, the content promotes task performance.

The principle of disclosure refers to showing only enough information needed for navigation and decision-making.

Next, the principle of exemplars suggests offering examples of the contents of a particular category.

The principle of front doors states that users often arrive at one of the subpages, so the homepage can't exclusively contain all necessary information.

The principle of multiple classification, in turn, suggests offering users different classification schemes to allow them to browse a site according to the best-fitting pattern.

The principle of focused navigation warns against mixing categories and chaotic navigation.

The last principle—the principle of growth—is equally important, suggesting always planning and readiness for site content growth. In practical terms, it means taking care of its scalability.

Information architecture role in user experience

The impact of the information architecture on the user experience (UX information architecture) is indisputable.

Information architecture (e.g., website and page information architecture) is directly responsible for impressions, experiences, and emotions evoked by interaction with digital products.

A clear, effective information architecture perceived as helpful and useful positively influences the user experience.

Tools for creating information architecture

You can find quite a few tools on the market that will facilitate the information architecture design.

DYNO Mapper

Dyno Mapper is a tool equipped with features such as generating visual sitemaps, content inventory, content audit, content planning, daily keyword tracking, and website accessibility testing. The tool is also integrated with Google Analytics, offering insight into metrics to track the performance. You can also easily share the sitemaps with team members.

OmniGraffle

OmniGraffle is software for devices with iOS and macOS operating systems. It was developed to create clean and beautiful sitemaps. It offers tools such as a drag-and-drop function, shape tool, selection tool, line tool, text tool, pen tool, and more. It's everything you need to create a sketch of the information architecture. OmniGraffle offers more advanced tools, such as precise geometric positioning, text objects, position snapping, automatic layout, and templates.

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Vision is a comprehensive tool for creating various types of diagrams, making it a great choice for designing information architecture. It provides functions such as working in real-time, formatting text and shapes, arranging objects, creating diagrams, and smooth sharing. It also includes ready-made templates.

Diagrams.net

Diagrams.net or Draw.io is a free tool for creating information architecture, flow charts, and user flows. It offers integrations with Google Workspace, Google Drive, Sharepoint, OneDrive, Jira, GitHub, Dropbox, and Notion and enables real-time collaboration with shared cursors.