Even the most valuable information is futile if not presented appropriately. For the human brain to make sense of information clusters, a structured representation is necessary. In the case of digital platforms like websites, mobile apps, and web apps, the task of making information meaningful comes under the purview of information architecture (IA).

In UX design, IA is a necessary discipline that lays the foundation for usability and navigation of a digital platform. But it is not always given the importance that it rightly deserves. This article aims to bring to light the importance of IA and its relationship with UX design (because “Isn’t IA and UX design the same” is a question that’s asked often). So let’s begin with the information architecture basics.

What is information architecture

Information architecture is the process of organizing and structuring the content of digital platforms in an effective way, with an aim to improve the user experience. The goal is to help users move through digital platforms easily by creating an intuitive structure. In UX design, IA forms the blueprint of the design structure upon which the design is built. From navigation to interactions, functionalities, and design components are constructed on the principles of IA.

If you start a design with a strong IA, you will face minimum usability and navigation challenges throughout the design process. A well designed IA will save designers valuable time and effort and help them create a consolidated design efficiently. Whether a project requires UX design for an MVP or for a full-fledged product, starting with IA assists the entire product development.

Why IA matters

In his famous book Don’t Make Me Think, Steve Krug talks about how most people don’t read web pages but rather scan them. When people scan web pages or app screens, they look for words or phrases that match their intent and click on them. Imagine how difficult it would be for people to find relevant information through scanning if there was no categorization or labelling!

Take an example of you browsing a new website. If you can immediately figure out where you are on the website, what is in the surroundings, what you can expect and where is the information you need, chances are that you will be satisfied with the website’s user experience. You might go back to the website again in the future because it was so easy to use! This is the power of a good IA.

IA creates a solid structure for websites, apps, and other digital platforms so that the users can, at all times, understand where they are and find what they need. Without a good IA, the content will be unorganized resulting in difficult navigation, which may confuse the users and make them feel lost. When users gain a negative experience once while interacting with a platform, the chances of them going back to it are less.

Components of IA system

A strong system is built on even stronger components. In an IA system, there are four main components — organization system, labelling system, navigation system, and search system. These were noted by Lou Rosenfeld and Peter Morville in their book “Information Architecture for the World Wide Web”. Before we discuss these components, let’s build some context on IA.

It was in the 1970s that information architecture began to be practised, although not in the digital product domain. Fields like psychology, library science and architecture began upholding the idea of information architecture.

Library science introduced IA with processes such as categorizing, cataloguing, locating, and archiving resources to make content accessible and usable for all users. In architecture, the concept of IA was emphasized through elements like a solid foundation, intentional structure, and information presentation. A subset of psychology called Cognitive psychology contributed to IA by bringing clarity to aspects such as cognitive load and mental models. All of these influenced the concept of IA in user experience design.

Now coming back to the four components of the IA system:

• Organization systems deal with the way information is categorized and structured. They help users find information intuitively. Depending on the design, different organizational structures can be used, such as hierarchical, chronological, alphabetical or sequential.
• Labelling systems look at how information is represented. This is important for users to identify different structures and access information quickly without confusion. They unite related data under suitable labels to improve usability.
• Navigation systems are related to understanding users’ journeys on digital platforms. They look at how users move, the ways they interact, and the path they take to achieve their goals. Different techniques are used in navigation systems to identify user behaviour.
• Searching systems deal with helping users search for information within digital platforms. It includes elements like a search engine, filters, sorting tools, etc., to enhance information findability.

Information architecture and UX design

Many people wonder if IA and UX design are the same. Although these two are closely related to each other, they have different scopes. UX design is a broad field, of which IA is an integral element. UX design encompasses several aspects, such as user behaviour, user emotions etc., while IA focuses on user goals. IA creates the skeleton of the design structure and shapes the navigation. Other UX deliverables such as sitemap and wireframe are built on IA.

If you just thought, “Hey, but aren’t IA and sitemap the same?” take a look at these article which explains the two processes in detail.

The Beginners Guide to Information Architecture in UX

Design Better Navigation Systems: Information Architecture vs Sitemap

Sitemaps — The Beginner’s Guide

In conclusion, we can say that information architecture is the foundation of a good user experience. An efficient design guides users quickly and intuitively, and IA is at the core of it. Learning the basics of IA can be very useful for UX designers and would help them create better and more usable designs.

Information architecture: The foundation of efficient design was originally published in Bootcamp on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.