Web design is more than aesthetics. Information architecture principles help create the perfect website architecture for positive online experiences.
When someone visits a website, they’re usually there looking for specific information. Information architecture (IA) makes it possible for them to find what they are looking for.
When your website architecture is thoughtful and well-composed, it makes it easy for people to navigate through your site and find what they need. IA is the process of thinking through your website’s content and building a website architecture that makes it easy for people to find what they are looking for.
There are eight primary information architecture principles: objects, choices, disclosures, exemplars, front doors, multiple classification, focused navigation, and growth. By thinking through each of these principles, you’re able to determine the best strategy for your website architecture.
Information architecture principles can sound complex, but the simple act of creating subpages is an act of IA. Subpages make finding specific information easier for visitors to your website. Labels can group things into finer categories. Search is also an aspect of digital information architecture, but it shouldn’t be the first way users engage with your site – they should have a good sense of where to find things just by taking a look at your menus.
With great website architecture, your site becomes an easy-to-use ambassador of your brand. While the best IA should be almost unnoticeable, poor digital information architecture can reflect poorly on your company and even make people less likely to trust you without knowing why. Taking the time to build a quality website architecture will pay dividends in the long run.
When you are building a new website for your company or organization, one of the most important things to take into consideration is your website architecture. Website planning involves much more than creating a website that looks beautiful; you also need to create a website architecture that is intuitive to use, this includes your menu structure, sidebars, footers and general page layouts. If people cannot find what they are looking for on your website, they will turn to another company.
You can begin your website planning process by thinking about the purpose of the site, and your user’s mindset. Your website architecture strategy should always consider the intended audience and the site’s goals, are they researching, shopping or just browsing. The ideal architecture makes it as easy as possible for people to find the most important content, such as a purchase link, a contact form, or information that’s most relevant to them.
Then, think about the different kinds of content that you plan to include on the site, and how they will link to each other. You are creating your website architecture strategy. When you plan the architecture before even considering the appearance, you’re putting the site’s functionality first. This aspect of website planning allows you to prepare your designers by prioritizing content on the page, and it’s essential for creating a website that your customers can use, as well as one that will ultimately drive business.
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.
UX Planning, Website Architecture Strategy
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.
UX Planning, Website Architecture Strategy
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.
Website structures are the first step to building incredible information architecture, something that separates good websites from awesome experiences.
The process of planning a website is often long and arduous. For large web design firms, it doesn’t get any easier. When you are part of a design firm, the projects are larger, as are the numbers associated with completing them. That includes the number of people involved in the websites’ creation. Suddenly, the skill set needed to plan websites shifts in priority from an understanding of information architecture to above average interpersonal skills.
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