name: information-architecture
description: Organize and structure information for clarity and discoverability. Design navigation systems, hierarchies, and mental models that match user needs.

Information Architecture

Overview

Information Architecture creates logical structures that help users find and understand information easily.

When to Use

• Website or app redesign
• Large information spaces (documentation, e-commerce)
• Navigation structure planning
• Taxonomy and categorization
• Search functionality design
• User journey mapping

Instructions

1. IA Principles & Process

IA Process:

1. Research & Discovery
  - Interview users about mental models
  - Card sorting sessions (open and closed)
  - Analyze current usage patterns
  - Competitive analysis

2. Structure Development
  - Create organization scheme (hierarchical, faceted, etc.)
  - Define categories and relationships
  - Build taxonomy
  - Plan navigation

3. Wireframing
  - Sitemap creation
  - Navigation structure
  - Page templates
  - User flows

4. Validation
  - User testing with prototypes
  - Tree testing (navigation only)
  - Iterate based on feedback

---

## Organization Schemes:

Hierarchical (Top-Down):
  - Home → Categories → Subcategories → Products
  - Clear parent-child relationships
  - Good for browsing

Faceted/Filtering:
  - Products filtered by multiple attributes
  - User can narrow down
  - Flexible combinations

Contextual:
  - Related items grouped together
  - Cross-links between sections
  - Supports exploration

Task-Based:
  - Organize by user goals/tasks
  - "How do I...?" approach
  - Matches mental models

---

## Navigation Types:

Primary Navigation:
  - Main categories
  - Top of page or left sidebar
  - Access from any page

Secondary Navigation:
  - Sub-categories
  - Related topics
  - Context-specific

Breadcrumb Navigation:
  - Shows user location in hierarchy
  - Enables backward navigation

Footer Navigation:
  - Links to important pages
  - Legal/company info
  - Helps with SEO

2. Card Sorting & Taxonomy

# Organize content into logical groups

class InformationArchitecture:
    def conduct_card_sort(self, items):
        """Uncover user mental models"""
        return {
            'method': 'Open card sort (users create own categories)',
            'participants': 15,
            'items_sorted': len(items),
            'analysis': self.analyze_card_sort_results(items),
            'dendrograms': 'Show similarity between user groupings',
            'categories': self.identify_categories(items)
        }

    def identify_categories(self, items):
        """Find natural groupings"""
        categories = {}
        frequency = {}

        # Track how often items are grouped together
        # Find dominant groupings

        return {
            'primary_categories': self.get_primary_categories(frequency),
            'ambiguous_items': self.identify_ambiguous_items(frequency),
            'user_created_labels': self.extract_labels()
        }

    def create_taxonomy(self, categories):
        """Build hierarchical structure"""
        return {
            'level1': ['Products', 'Services', 'Support', 'Company'],
            'level2_products': ['Electronics', 'Clothing', 'Books'],
            'level3_electronics': ['Phones', 'Laptops', 'Accessories'],
            'relationships': 'Define parent-child and related items',
            'synonyms': 'Identify similar terms'
        }

    def validate_ia(self, structure):
        """Test with users"""
        return {
            'testing_method': 'Tree testing',
            'tasks': [
                'Find product return policy',
                'Locate shipping information',
                'Access account settings'
            ],
            'success_metrics': {
                'task_completion': '90% target',
                'time_to_complete': '<3 minutes',
                'satisfaction': '>4/5'
            }
        }

3. Sitemap & Navigation Structure

Sitemap Example: E-commerce Site

Home
├── Products
│   ├── Electronics
│   │   ├── Phones
│   │   ├── Laptops
│   │   └── Accessories
│   ├── Clothing
│   │   ├── Men's
│   │   ├── Women's
│   │   └── Kids
│   └── Books
├── Services
│   ├── Shipping & Returns
│   ├── Extended Warranty
│   └── Installation
├── Support
│   ├── FAQ
│   ├── Contact Us
│   ├── Live Chat
│   └── Tickets
├── Account
│   ├── Orders
│   ├── Wishlist
│   ├── Returns
│   └── Settings
└── Company
    ├── About Us
    ├── Careers
    ├── Blog
    └── Affiliates

---

Navigation Labels:
  - Clear and predictable
  - Avoid jargon
  - Match user language
  - Consistent across site

4. Search & Discovery

// Enable multiple ways to find content

class DiscoverabilityStrategy {
  designSearchFunctionality() {
    return {
      search_box: {
        location: 'Header, prominent placement',
        placeholder: 'Clear example text',
        autocomplete: true,
        filters: ['Category', 'Price', 'Rating']
      },
      search_results: {
        ranking: 'Relevance + popularity + freshness',
        facets: 'Allow filtering results',
        snippets: 'Show preview and highlights'
      },
      zero_results: {
        suggestions: 'Show did you mean, popular searches',
        related: 'Show related categories'
      }
    };
  }

  designBrowsing() {
    return {
      category_pages: {
        structure: 'Subcategories + featured items',
        sorting: 'By popularity, newest, price',
        pagination: 'Load more or paginate'
      },
      related_items: {
        placement: 'Product page, cart page',
        logic: 'Similar category, trending, recommended'
      }
    };
  }
}

Best Practices

✅ DO

• Start with user research
• Conduct card sorting studies
• Use user mental models
• Keep hierarchy 3 levels deep max
• Use clear, simple labels
• Enable multiple ways to find content
• Test navigation with users
• Update based on usage data
• Document taxonomy
• Provide search functionality

❌ DON'T

• Impose organizational structure without research
• Use jargon or technical terms
• Make hierarchy too deep
• Bury important content
• Rely only on navigation (provide search)
• Change navigation frequently
• Create ambiguous labels
• Forget about edge cases
• Ignore accessibility
• Assume desktop-only navigation

IA Tips

• Use clear, specific category names
• Avoid nested menus when possible
• Provide multiple paths to content
• Show context within hierarchy (breadcrumbs)
• Monitor analytics to improve structure