What makes a good information architecture?
There are a few best practices to keep in mind when thinking about your IA – principles you should always try and adhere to.
- Understand your users – Before developing anything for your users, learn what it is that they need from your website or product.
Don’t rely on the homepage – Don’t fall into the trap of loading up your homepage with information to make up for a poor IA. Why? Think about those users who may never actually see your homepage, for example, those entering your website through search or a direct link. - Search isn’t the answer – Similarly, search isn’t a substitute for an IA. Most people will still try and navigate your website by themselves before turning to search.
- Label content clearly – One of the sins of poor IA design is unclear labels. When you’re creating a link to the ‘Contact Us’ page, don’t label it ‘Chat to us’.
- Make your IA flexible and adaptable – Websites and digital products change over time. Your IA should do the same. Make sure you design it so that you can add and remove elements as the needs of your users and organization change.
- Keep your pages simple – Pages should be clear and easy to understand. If you do need a lot of content on a single page, consider if it’s easier to break it up across subpages instead.
