Information Architecture (17 articles)
Information architecture vs sitemap: The key differences
What’s the main difference between information architecture and a sitemap? Information architecture is the structural design of content that ensures users find what they need, while a sitemap is a… Continue readingUpdated July 11, 2024 • 13 min read
Website structure A to Z (with examples)
Imagine a city without road signs or a building without a clear layout – navigating through them would be a nightmare. The same goes for a website, the structure is… Continue readingUpdated February 2, 2024 • 18 min read
4 new information architecture trends: the future of IA for 2024
Information architecture isn’t quite as static as the brick and mortar architecture that progresses at a comparative snail’s pace. The online world continues to swerve, shift and change at breakneck… Continue readingUpdated April 20, 2022 • 7 min read
Website information architecture design strategy examples (& best tools)
It’s pretty well documented that the internet industry as a whole has a love affair with acronyms and naming things in weird ways. Sometimes very direct; other times, we end… Continue readingBy Sean LeSuerUpdated January 26, 2022 • 12 min read
Website Architecture: Users vs. Googlebot & What the Pros Think
Since the beginning of the internet, website developers and webmasters have tried to please search engine bots with various forms of keyword and linking strategies; from keyword stuffing to an emphasis on backlinks to a website. But website content hasn’t been the only victim of these tactics, as design and development, website architecture and site navigation have been impacted by what’s now considered black hat search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Continue readingUpdated September 14, 2021 • 12 min read
Audience Language Should Guide Your Information Architecture
When you’re tackling a new website built or redesign, and it’s time to think about your site’s navigation and information architecture, keep your audience language, literacy, and understanding in top of mind. Continue readingUpdated September 10, 2021 • 6 min read
Here’s How to Keep Your FAQ Page from Becoming A Graveyard
Are you thinking of including an FAQ page on your next website project? There’s a good chance you are. The frequently asked questions page is a common feature of many websites - regardless of the industry. They serve as a single place for a website user to find answers to all the common questions they might have about your product, services, organization or other relevant topics. They make it easy for website users; but unfortunately, they are seldom executed correctly. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated July 28, 2021 • 8 min read
How To Plan Large Websites With Less Stress
So, you’ve been asked to build a website, and it’s far from small. At this point, the question isn’t “how will you build it,” it’s “how will you plan it.” Slickplan understands how hard it can be to plan large websites, and thankfully, has many tools to help you do just that. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated August 26, 2021 • 8 min read
10 Tips for an SEO-Friendly, Easy to Navigate Website
Nowadays, it is easy for many websites to focus solely on search engine optimization, yet ensuring easy navigation on your website is more important than many people realize. To the surprise of some, website navigation and SEO optimization go hand in hand, because easily navigable sites are easier to understand by search engines. Plus, when search engines understand your site's navigation, they are more likely to display it to the qualified end-users searching for your keywords. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated September 13, 2021 • 8 min read
Organize Your Blog Content with Taxonomies
Adding a blog to your website, or maintaining one that is separate from it is much more than merely putting words on a screen. Just like any other website, it… Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated January 9, 2024 • 8 min read
14 Information Architecture books we love
When it comes to information architecture, there is a vast amount of information on the internet, but it is not always easy to discern which information is worth your time. Unfortunately, there aren’t many online sources that thoroughly teach the ins and outs of web design. Luckily there are some excellent published works that are well worth your time and money. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated June 19, 2024 • 20 min read
Do you Need to Prep for Information Architecture Design?
So, you are all set. You’ve talked with the client (or yourself), and you have a good sense of what you are going to do. Now is the time to start organizing and diagramming your IA, right? Not so fast – before you begin, there are a few things to keep in mind. When it comes to website design, many people don’t recognize the amount of work that goes into it before you have a finished product. It’s almost like reality television. Sure you are watching it as it unfolds, but did you consider what may have happened before the show aired? Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated September 13, 2021 • 3 min read
Why Business Goals Are Important to Information Architecture
Why do you need to understand the business for Information Architecture? The first reason is because it helps define the context of a page. Additionally, when you consider business goals, you help support the business, which is designed to support the users. It’s important to remember - there are business goals for every project, and money is often at its root. If you were designing for only want the user wanted and needed, there would be no need for anyone to pay for such products and services. There’d also be a lot fewer websites advertising them. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated September 9, 2021 • 4 min read
How To Clean Your Website Of Unnecessary Clutter
You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘less is more’ but have you given any thought to how to apply that truism to your website? Sure, you want to create a well- designed site, but you also need to balance your design with something that will actually serve its purpose. Especially when talking about things such as landing and intro pages there is a thin line between busy and clean. In this blog post, I’ll discuss some ways to not only recognize clutter in your UI, but also stop it in its tracks. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated September 9, 2021 • 5 min read
3 Ways to Learn Information Architecture Online
Information architecture wasn’t always a stand-alone function. When the Internet was still young, this responsibility was assigned to the webmaster. Now, as websites become more complex, many web teams need a dedicated individual to manage their site’s structure. The information architect not only thinks about what is on the site but also how the end user will interact with that information. If you are looking to build well-organized, user-friendly websites, understanding information architecture is a definite prerequisite. Thankfully, there are many ways to do so online. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated September 10, 2021 • 3 min read
It’s Time to Audit Your Information Architecture
Your site is a collection of information built upon a defined Information Architecture, making it easy to navigate through. However, if you don’t know what content you have, it’s hard to put together a useful architecture. Whether you’re creating something from scratch or redesigning an existing site, completing a content audit will help you take stock of all of the information you need before you begin assessing IA. Continue readingBy Jenn MarieUpdated September 8, 2021 • 4 min read
Using Multiple Home Pages
Multiple home pages could be the solution to your multi-site enterprise storefronts or the downfall of your small business. While there are certainly a number of substantial reasons for designing… Continue readingBy Ian LawsonUpdated August 26, 2021 • 3 min read