Information Architecture or IA lays emphasis on organizing, grouping, and describing information in an effective and sustainable way on a website. The main objective of having a distinct and appropriate Information Architecture is to give assistance to the users in finding information and accomplishing their tasks. To do so, one needs to figure out how different elements fit together to have much of their impact on the audience. However, all the elements must relate to each other in the overall system.
A proper Information Architecture helps user navigate easily through different parts of the website and it also has similar significance in mobile apps design.
What is the impact of a good IA?
The purpose of IA is to let users know where they are, what are they going through and what should they expect. So, in this way, there is a consistency in the whole information and any user would love to go through every part of the website. And if you are able to target what people want and what they dislike, it would be easier for you to get maximum out of your work.
Things To Consider In Navigation Design:-
- Simplify Learnability Of Information
- Have Consistency In Overall Information System
- Allow Easy Navigation Through Less Clicks
- Make All Links Distinct From One Another
- Maintain Information Hierarchy
- Group Elements Based On Their Category
- Avoid Disabling Back Button
- Allow Important Links On All Pages
Representing SiteMaps:- It refers to the visual images that reflect site navigation and other content areas. Sitemaps are constructed to look just like flowcharts and describe how users will navigate from one section to other.
Content Inventory:- It describes in brief the contents hierarchy to be followed in the IA. Also, it helps in deciding the place that has to be occupied by any element with certain information.
Wireframes:- Wireframes are like a blueprint of the complete design that is created before the designing begins. It is very crucial phase while assigning Information Architecture.. You need to ask yourself few questions like how crucial do you find a specific layout, what should be the structure of your website, and how should you organise overall content before the design team iterates on other essentials.
Afterall, it is all about representing the information to the user through a website with a number of designing strategies. So, it is essential to have an appropriate information architecture to get most out of your website.
At Oodles Studio, we have a vast experience and a well built team of expert designers to help our clients with all of their design requirements. Be it dynamic, or static design, we aim to focus on delivering quality web designing services to our clients and ensure complete product support.
