Information architecture focuses on the broad idea of how to organize information. The information architect, instructional designer, web developer, or technical writer evaluates the content or subject and develops a logical pattern of categories. For example, an instructional designer takes a list of objectives and organizes them to present a learning strategy to their audience. A technical writer evaluates a software tool or mechanical device and identifies what manuals or help system would best assist the user. Web developers use information architecture to design navigation, menus, and search capabilities to locate content.
As you see on this website, content is structured in a Content Management System (CMS). That CMS is WordPress. Pages, articles, and blog posts are stored in a database and assigned a category. Categories create an organized structure for the content. That structure is presented visually to visitors through the site navigation, menus, and site map. Organized navigation and menus enable visitors to locate a specific article or related content among the hundreds in the database. Think of the problems that would occur to a web developer or site visitor if the information was not organized. This list shows what I identify when I begin a project:
- the subject
- the complexity of the content
- the amount of content
- the audience (user or admin)
- the persona (management or labor)
Organizing content in the early stages of a project may seem like a distraction from the design and development tasks. Remember, content is king and the reason why you are working on the project. Information architecture helps identify the requirements of the project and, in many cases, the technology. For your next project, invest time in structuring the content before executing the development and realizing the tremendous dividends that result from this effort. Apply these design tips on your next document to improve communication and keep the audience interested in your content.