Understanding and refining choreography for your information architecture

Thanks to an ever-growing digital world, businesses are spoiled for information and data. The more complex the business, the more information there is and the more complicated the business requirements are. But where there are challenges, there is opportunity. That’s where information architecture and data architecture come in.

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Information and data architecture both seek to make sense of the plethora of information a business handles. However, the two have different roles to play in the way businesses use, move, maintain, and present data - both to internal and external stakeholders. So what are they and why should businesses take note?

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Defining Information Architecture 🗺️

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Information architecture is the structure used to organize and label content on websites, mobile applications and other digital environments. Its primary purpose is to enhance user experience by ensuring information is structured in an accessible, usable and relevant way.

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Information architecture seeks to understand user needs and goals by analyzing both existing and required information, then building an information framework in a logical and user-friendly way. It deals with three main components:

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• Labels: How information is represented
• Navigation: How users make their way through the information
• Search: How users look for information

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Whilst this information sits in the background, it’s the layer upon which you build the design of your digital products.

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Information architects bring data from file systems and databases to life by building meaningful narratives and stories. Outputs can include site-mapping, information architecture diagrams and content inventories. These outputs are supported by user research techniques such as card sorting, tree testing, user surveys and first-click testing.

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Defining Data Architecture 💻

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Data architecture bridges the gap between business needs, goals, and system requirements related to data handling. It sets out a framework for managing data assets, the flow of data and the maintenance of data systems. As such, it has a slightly more macro view than information architecture and concerns itself with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain.

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Where information architecture centers around the end-user interaction, data architecture centers around practical handling and operation of data processes i.e. collection through to transformation, distribution, and consumption. Because of this, data architecture must take into account the businesses ability to scale operations, integrate with third party systems, support real-time data processes and the reduction of operating costs. Modern data architecture may point to artificial intelligence to tackle some of these challenges.

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The Importance of Enterprise Architects in Information and Data Architecture 🏗

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Enterprise architects are big-picture people. Data architecture and information architecture both fall within their remit, and they often oversee other data management job specialities within an IT department.

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As a leader (and often, visionary) within a business, enterprise architects shoulder the responsibility of ‘mission critical’ projects. As a result, they tend to have several years experience with IT systems, backed by a bachelor’s degree in computer science, IT management, data science or similar. Many will hold a master’s degree and specialty certifications.

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The role involves collaborating with senior business leaders, solution-delivery teams and external stakeholders, and requires creative problem solving and excellent communication skills. Therefore, enterprise architects very much steer the ship when it comes to information and data architecture. Combining high-level business strategy with knowledge of ‘the nuts and bolts’ of IT data systems and processes, they command an annual salary in New Zealand between $150,000 and $200,000 per annum..

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Continuous improvement within any business that has substantial IT infrastructure calls for serious investment in enterprise architecture.

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Designing and Implementing an Effective Information and Data Architecture 𝞹📈🧠📚

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Once overarching business goals are aligned with the scope of data and system requirements, information and data architecture design (or redesign) can begin.

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Crucial to the design and implementation process is developing an architecture framework. This is a set of guidelines that lays out principles, practices, tools and approaches required to complete the design. It supports system design decisions, assigns key tasks and provides project guidance throughout the design process. The framework essentially aims to unite disparate teams and maintain business and IT alignment.

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The choice of architecture design is also critical. It should consider scalability, performance, maintainability and adaptability to emerging technology. Which is why cloud platforms feature so heavily in modern data architecture. Cloud architects will navigate the architecture design and technical requirements of cloud-based delivery models, which offer the solution to those scalability and adaptability challenges. They are responsible for bridging the gaps between complex business problems and solutions in the cloud. Modern data architecture tends to involve some form of cloud delivery component.

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Throughout implementation, data and information architects will work closely with designers and engineers until testable architecture is ready. User research and testing will be carried out, and a feedback loop will commence until requirements are met. Users, as always, should be at the center of your digital product.

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Summing Up the Complexities of Information and Data Architecture 🧮

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Whilst the difference between information and data architecture can appear nuanced on the surface, they hold unique roles when delivering a cohesive, user-friendly digital product.

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Think of a sliding scale where business operations sit at one end, and users sit at the other. Data architecture addresses challenges closer to the business: aligning business requirements and goals with how data flows through the system. On the other hand, information architecture addresses the challenges related to how this data is organized and interpreted for the end user.

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At the end of the day, both information and data architecture need to work in harmony to satisfy the user and the business.

What is Information Architecture?

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Information architecture (IA) is a term used to describe how content or information is organised and arranged. This can relate to a website, a retail store or an app. And you could even consider the way a library is sorted to be IA. 

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For the purposes of this we will be focussed on websites. IA is fundamentally important to the success of your website. It determines how your users will access the information and the success of their user experience (UX) whilst on your website. And ultimately if you can keep users on your website long enough to complete their task.

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IA can be broken down into 3 main areas to consider when building great user experience:

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• Navigation: How people make their way through information (website content)
• Labels: How information is named and represented.
• Search: How people will look for information (keywords, categories)

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When put like this it does seem pretty straightforward. Maybe even simple? But these tasks need to be straightforward for your users. Putting thought, time and research in at the front of your design and build can mean an intuitive website is built. But at any point in your websites life cycle it can be of value to test and review. IA is the structure that sits in behind and allows the design to tell the story and the content to be found in an easy way.

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Why is Information Architecture important to web design? 🏗️

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If you’ve ever tried to use something and thought, “where am I supposed to go next?” or “this doesn’t make any sense,” you are encountering an issue with an information ‍architecture.

The Information Architecture Institute

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The way in which your users will use your website depends largely on how the information is presented and organised. By following through the tasks that you expect your users to undertake you can better understand the user experience. If the user can easily flow from point to point, finding what they need in a quick and efficient (and ideally intuitive manner) they are far more likely to stick around. And return when they need to.

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The opposite is definitely true also. If users find your website difficult to follow, hard to navigate and get lost or confused. They will not stick around to find out more. They will move on, and swiftly, to your competition. Frustrated, and disengaged. You will find it difficult to win them back.

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What does good information architecture look like for my users? 👀

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By providing a simple, clear and straightforward path users can stay focussed on their task, removing overwhelm and confusion. How often do you disappear ‘down a rabbit hole’ when on the internet? Confusing paths or overwhelming options may mean users move off on tangents, and become less likely to complete their initial task. Ultimately the best user experience is one that delivers the right information at the right time. Not too slow and not too complicated. 

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Always keep in mind that a great IA is:

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• Navigation: Always think straightforward, simple and intuitive.  Keep the navigation menu clean, clear and brief. Content and information where it’s expected to be. No point putting dog collars under dog food.
• Labels: Consider how pages, content and information is named. This needs to be direct and simple to understand. If you want people to find your store label the page ‘location’ or ‘find us’ or even ‘find our store’.
• Search: Most of your users will use search as a last resort. They will try to navigate their way through your website before resorting to a search option. Considering carefully the keywords for information that support the search tool. If they have already failed to find the information through your navigation, don’t let them down now.

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With all of these lined up in behind great web design, which is clear, bright and attractive. Along with language which appeals to your user.  You are providing a UX that will entice, engage and ultimately keep them on your website and converting.

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What does great information architecture look like for my organization?

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Great IA goes beyond simply being about your user experience. Your organization can benefit hugely with testing, research and insights put into your website IA. 

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With an IA that creates an easy navigable and engaging website your users are less likely to move off to your competitors. You’ve worked hard to get them to your website, through marketing and SEO. Delivering what your user expects and making it easy to find, means they will complete their task, and are far more likely to return. 

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By finding what they need quickly, and intuitively, users are more likely to be converted and generate leads or sales. Delivering and answering questions can also reduce the need for support. If you can, your organization's website should answer your users questions, before they complete. This means they are less likely to need to email and /or call for support, reducing overheads and time lag before conversion.

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Your organization's reputation is so important, your website may be your only interaction with users. If they have an easy user experience, their questions answered, and are able to complete what they need simply they leave with a great impression of your organization. They are more likely to return and their overall takeaway is that your organization is trustworthy, organised and easy to deal with. The opposite is quite possible with poor IA and design. You get but one chance to grab their attention and keep them. Do it badly and you may never get them back.

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Creating great information architecture 👷🏻

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User research with OptimalSort

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Of course the best website IA is based on your users experience. And there is no better way to get a full understanding of your users than by conducting research. At any point in your website's life cycle it can be beneficial to undertake research such as card sorting. At the beginning stages of your website build is best, but your website should be evolving as your organization does, therefore any time there are shifts in what you do or offer is a great time to revisit your UX and how best to deliver this. OptimalSort tests users on how they intuitively would like to see information sorted on your website. Building IA based on data, rather than assumptions, will mean that content and information can be sorted in a way that truly delivers a simple and intuitive experience.

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Maintaining your website with Treejack

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With a great IA, based on card sorting user research, your website content needs to be maintained. Tree testing allows you to see where your users are getting lost in your website navigation. And also how they expect to look for key information. The Treejack tool provides real user insights on how your website navigation is working, how it can work better, and ultimately how to fix paths that don’t work. Providing hard data to inform an intuitive IA.

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Wrap Up 🌮

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So, information architecture is fundamental to your website and how it operates. Want to learn more about information architecture? Take a look at our article, or download 'The Actionable IA Guide'.

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Supporting your website with user research can mean you build and design a intuitive website that simply rocks! 

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Learn more about card sorting with our 101 guide. And more on tree testing. 

What is information architecture? ✏️

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According to Abby Covert, a leader in the field of information architecture, IA is ‘the way we arrange the parts to make sense of the whole.’ Information architecture (IA) is found in every digital product, from websites and apps to an intranet. 

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For the purposes of this article we focus on the importance of information architecture to user experience (UX) design because IA is fundamentally important to the success of your user experience. It determines how users will access your  content and ultimately how successful their experience is when using your product. 

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When put like this it does seem pretty straightforward. Maybe even simple? But these tasks need to be straightforward for your users. Putting thought, time and research in at the front of your design and build can help build an intuitive product. IA is the structure that sits in behind and allows the design to tell the story and the content to be found in an easy way.

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The role of information architecture in UX design 🏗️

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Information architecture forms the framework for any UX design project. You need to consider the visual elements, functionality, interaction, and navigation and if they are built according to IA principles. If not considered fully even the most compelling content and powerful user experience design can fail without an organized and functional IA design. Disorganized content can make finding your way through difficult, meaning users get lost, annoyed and frustrated. Frustrated users don’t stick around and most likely don’t come back.

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Through solving or preempting users’ issues with research and designing powerful and effective IA it reduces usability and navigation problems. Meaning that researched, thought through and designed information architecture can save both money and time for your organization in the longer term.

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What is the difference between IA and UX? 🤯

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Often it can be confusing that there isn’t much difference between IA and UX design. While these terms do relate to each other and need to be considered alongside, they are not one and the same.

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“Information architecture (IA) is the discipline of making information findable and understandable, helping people understand their surroundings and find what they’re looking for online and in the real world” - Interaction Design

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“User experience (UX) design is the process design teams use to create products
that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users” - Interaction Design

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UX design is well grounded with good functional information architecture but that’s not where it stops. The user experience focus is on influencing users’ behaviors and actions through emotion and psychology. Information architecture is focussed on the users' goals and task completion. They work together to create the very best user experience. IA provides the foundation of a well organized space that is easy to navigate and UX design ensures that the overall experience meets (or exceeds) users’ expectations, through their wants, needs and desires.

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The key components of IA 🧱

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There are four key components to consider when building a strong information architecture:

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Labeling

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How information is named and represented. Labels need to communicate information to users without using too much space or requiring much work on the user’s part.

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Navigation

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How people make their way through information. Without robust IA which has been thought through this is the quickest way to confuse users. If they can’t find their way to the information they need, they won’t be able to complete their task. It really is that simple.

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Search

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How people will look for information (keywords, categories). A search system is especially important when there is a lot of content to wade through. A search engine, filters, and many other tools help users search content. Great UX design will consider how the information will be displayed once searched.

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Organization

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How the information is ordered. These help users to predict where they can find information easily:

• Hierarchical is the hierarchy of the content and literally the order of importance
  the user expects to see information against what the organization needs.
• Sequential Taking a stroll in your user's shoes can be valuable. Considering the path a user would take and the journey they make. Walking step-by-step, ensuring that as users progress through their tasks they are easily led to the next step.
• Matrix This is a little more complicated for users as it lets them choose how to navigate on their own. Users are given the choice of content organization. For example, the searchability of a website. Where the user could choose to search by topic, size, price or any other filter or option.

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Wrap up 🥙

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Information architecture is a key part of a powerful user experience design. Efficient IA helps users quickly and easily move through content and find what they want.  And what do users want but to find what they want, complete their task and get on with their day!

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Provide an IA that functions well, is intuitive to use and well labeled, coupled with UX design that is smooth, attractive and responds to users needs, wants and desires and you’ll have a winner on the day.