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One of the main components of information architecture is organization. How humans organize things helps them make sense of the world. How you organize information within a website or app will help your users make sense of it and ultimately determine their satisfaction.
New Terms:
- Hierarchy - a specific kind of content organization where broad categories are broken down into smaller categories and so on, creating a structure that can be displayed within a tiered navigation menu
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Let's talk about the key components of IA.
0:00
The first one we're gonna cover here
is organization schemes and structures.
0:03
Organizing is a natural thing for
human beings to do.
0:07
We need to make sense of the world around
us so we're not living in constant chaos.
0:11
When you go to a grocery store or
a local Target,
0:16
you'll see all the different foods and
products in specific aisles or sections.
0:19
And there's a bunch of reasons why places
organize their content in a specific way.
0:24
For the business, organization helps
you figure out where to put things.
0:30
When things are created or when they
arrive, you don't have to think about
0:35
where to put new stuff because
the decision's already been made.
0:38
The video game section is here,
the produce goes there, and so on.
0:42
For the customer, organization makes
it easier for them to find things and
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can make the experience
much more positive.
0:50
And when customers are happy, you can bet
they'll return and recommend it to others.
0:54
And organization also creates and
expectation beyond that first visit.
0:59
That when they return,
things will be organized in the same way,
1:04
that familiarity helps build trust.
1:08
Online, websites and
apps have those same goals in mind.
1:12
They wanna organize their
content logically so
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they've got a place to put things.
1:18
But also, to make it easier for
their users to locate what they want and
1:20
consume, buy, or share it.
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So, there are multiple organization
schemes and structures, or
1:27
ways to organize content, and
you've probably seen examples.
1:31
First, there's category, or
topic-based organization.
1:36
Just like a grocery or retail store,
the content is grouped by category or
1:39
topic, which usually relates to
the interest of the visitor,
1:44
as well as the main areas of focus for
the business.
1:48
If you check out Kickstarter's website,
you'll see the projects looking for
1:51
funding are grouped into
specific categories,
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music, arts, comics and
illustration, and so on.
1:59
But some websites might organize their
content by the format, blog post,
2:03
videos, FAQs, resources, and more.
2:09
You may see this kind of organization
scheme when there's only
2:13
one topic on the site.
2:15
When you visit the Fortnite website, all
the content is about one topic, the game.
2:18
So, they group everything based
on the content type instead.
2:23
Sometimes it makes sense to organize
your information using a hierarchy.
2:28
This is a specific kind of structure where
the categories at the top are the most
2:32
broad.
2:37
Now as you drill down into subcategories,
it gets more specific.
2:38
For example, Home Depot sells many
products for home improvement and repair.
2:42
If you wanted to install window blinds in
a new house, you might go to their website
2:48
and drill down through the hierarchy
of categories to find what you need.
2:53
First, there's blinds and
window treatments, then blinds is a little
2:57
more specific, and finally,
faux wood blinds is most specific.
3:03
Organizing content using a hierarchy
makes sense for a lot of sites,
3:09
and it's easy enough to do.
3:13
You start with a general category,
get more specific with each step, and
3:15
the bottom level is your
most specific grouping.
3:19
Organization like this is good if you have
a lot of content that needs organizing.
3:22
A hierarchy creates a structure for
users to navigate.
3:28
So if you don't have a lot of content
to share, that structure might become
3:31
unnecessary, and may be all you
really need is just a simple list.
3:36
Organizing information sequentially
is a pretty straightforward option.
3:40
If information makes the most sense
displayed in a specific order,
3:45
then you might choose to
structure things that way.
3:49
For example, if you've built an Apper
platform that requires a little on
3:51
boarding guidance, you might organize your
help documentation by listing a getting
3:55
started group of content first.
4:00
That makes a lot of sense, and
4:03
then you'd list whatever would
naturally come next for these users.
4:05
More introductory info,
a definition of terms, or
4:09
perhaps creating your first project.
4:12
A sequential structure improves usability
by considering the user's needs and
4:15
the likely order they'll be taking action.
4:20
Now another way you could structure things
is very simple, just do it alphabetically.
4:24
But these days, it's difficult to think
of a case when that makes the most sense.
4:29
The same goes for date-based scheme.
4:33
Structuring content alphabetically or
by date could be done but
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the question you need to ask is,
should it be done?
4:40
Are there better ways you could structure
content so the user could easily find it?
4:44
In the end, you may decide
a hybrid approach works best,
4:49
where you use multiple schemes to organize
things in a way that's logical and usable.
4:53
For example, a game development company
might structure their website content
4:59
around the games they've created.
5:04
But, for the rest of their development
blog, it's topic-based, so
5:07
people can find news on app updates,
patches, future development, and more.
5:11
The types of schemes and structures you
choose will depend on your users, and
5:18
their needs as well as the nature
of your website or app.
5:23
The best way to group information
is what will allow your users
5:27
to find what they need in the quickest and
easiest way possible.
5:31
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