What is Information Architecture ?
The main goal of Information architecture is it assists the users to get the information easily. It organizes, labels and structure the content in efficient way. Organizing, structuring, and labeling content effectively and sustainably is the focus of information architecture (IA).
Why information architecture is necessary in designs?
If any user finds the relevant information easily then the overall cognitive load reduces.
The information architecture (IA) of a website refers to its structure, organization, and presentation of content. IA can be defined as “the way that the content of a site is structured and organized”. In other words, it is how the content is presented to users.
There are many different types of IAs, but they can be divided into two broad categories: navigational and informational. Navigational IAs are those that help users navigate through a website. They include menus, breadcrumbs, search boxes, etc. Informational IAs are those used to present content to users. These include page titles, headings, subheadings, paragraphs, images, videos, etc.
Content strategy, user interface design, and interaction design are all influenced by IA. Creating a content-first experience–thinking about content early in design projects and allowing it to inform product design decisions–is an important goal for many products. To accomplish this, it is critical that IA forms the skeleton of the design project. The navigation between screens and pages, as well as the organization of content, should assist users in locating information and completing tasks with the least amount of effort.
In this course we will learn about these two types of IAs, their importance, and how to implement them in your own websites. We will also explore some tools and techniques that can be used to create better IA.
Image Credit : Taken from Shivangi Hospital
Components of Information Architecture
An information architect will typically perform a variety of tasks. Research, navigation design, wire framing, labeling, and data modelling are all common tasks. The majority of these tasks are valuable because of the process they follow, and some also result in deliverables, which we've mentioned where appropriate.
An information architect does variety of activities.
1. User Research and Analysis
2. Content Audit and Content Inventory
3. Card Sorting
4. Sitemap or Website Hierarchy
5. Wire-framing
Principles of Information Architecture
Principle of Objects
This principle considers content to be an organic entire with a unique personality, its own weaknesses, and its own strengths.The content can be made up of title, paragraph, links, buttons, images etc. In this way we can provide the data more efficiently. A key idea in information architecture is the principle of objects, which calls for organizing linked content into separate, distinct items. These items should be arranged in a way that makes sense to users and have a clear purpose and function within the wider system.
Here are some key aspects of the principle of objects:
Each object should have a clear purpose: Objects should be designed with a specific purpose or function in mind. They should be self-contained and distinct from other objects on the website.
Objects should be related: Objects should be related to each other in a meaningful way. They should be grouped together based on their shared characteristics, functions, or content.
Objects should be consistent: Objects should be consistent in their design and functionality. Users should be able to easily recognize objects and understand how they work.
Principle of Choice
Provide the options which are relevant and useful. Don't provide unnecessary information or too much information.The principle of choice is a key concept in information architecture that emphasizes the importance of providing users with clear and meaningful choices. This principle is based on the idea that users should be able to choose from a variety of options that are relevant to their needs and goals.
Here are some key aspects of the principle of choice:
Provide meaningful options: Choices should be meaningful and relevant to the user's needs and goals. Users should be able to easily understand the purpose and benefit of each option.
Limit the number of choices: While it's important to provide users with a variety of options, too many choices can be overwhelming and confusing. Limiting the number of choices can help users make a decision more quickly and easily.
Provide clear information: Users should have access to clear and accurate information about each choice. This can include descriptions, images, or other relevant details that help users understand the options.
Principle of Disclosure
If users want to dig deeper, only show them the information they need to decide. The principle of disclosure is a key concept in information architecture that involves providing users with the information they need to make informed decisions. This principle is based on the idea that users should have access to all relevant information, even if it may not be immediately necessary or visible.
Here are some key aspects of the principle of disclosure:
Provide relevant information: Users should have access to all relevant information that may impact their decision-making process. This can include details about pricing, features, or other relevant information.
Use progressive disclosure: Progressive disclosure involves presenting information in a way that allows users to access additional details if they need it. This can help to avoid overwhelming users with too much information upfront.
Use appropriate timing: Information should be disclosed at the appropriate time in the user's journey. For example, pricing information may be more relevant at the end of the user's journey when they are ready to make a purchase.
Use clear and concise language: Information should be presented in a way that is easy to understand and avoids jargon or technical language that may be confusing to users.
Focus on the user and design the IA
The problem of most of the designers, is they don’t talk to the users and directly based on their assumption they start their design. The first and the foremost step should be to talk with your users and understand their goals and needs. To narrow down the results and prioritize the areas, the card sorting is very helpful. To begin with, break your tasks into few areas such as, getting started, foundations and components. A thorough understanding of the users is important. How the users us the design system and what are their pain points and what improvements they suggest. A laundry list of potential focus areas will be provided, which will then help prioritize what to address first.
It is best to provide access information, supporting research, and other ancillary information behind tabs so that the user is not overburdened.
In saying this, it is always a good idea to display the essential information up front, then subsequently use progressive disclosure to provide more information and supporting documentation.
As a result of finding what they want, cognitive load is reduced, and it provides a more self-guided experience so the user can only ingest the information they need.
If you are building any system, you should take care of tat system over a time period. As the system grows, it increases the complexity. To have a Design System that continues to grow after the initial implementation, easy touch-points must be available for anyone in your organization to contribute
Difference between Information Architecture and User Experience
Information Architecture, according to Wikipedia, is “the art
and science of organizing and labeling websites … to support usability.“ and from the same, User Experience is all about feelings and emotions of any user towards their products.
UX Tips to design Information Architecture for your website
It focuses on the three elements -
- User
- Content
- Context
Let's elaborate all the points one by one.
User
Users are very important. You need to focus on who you are designing for. People are looking for different types of information. User Experience designers should take the mental model into account. How mental model of any user work when they visit any website or app. What are their expectations.
Content
How to make available the content your user wants to see. The UX designers should show only relevant information. UX designers will use filters, sorting, searching etc to limit the cognitive load. This should be done, by looking overall the pages and limit the cognitive load on the pages. What techniques should be use to get more relevant information. A good way to create IA is to create visual hierarchy.Grouping the elements is very important. Some of the best examples of IA are - Amazon, Apple
Context
How people will find the information on your website. There are many different things and SEO plays very important role. It affects the ranking of your website. It impacts how people find the information.
Conclusion
In addition to Information Architecture, User Experience aims to take that experience further, both creatively and emotionally.
