The Difference Between Information Architecture (ia) And Navigation
What Is Website Information Architecture
What Is Website Information Architecture? A website’s (or intranet’s) information architecture has two main components: - identification and definition of site content/functionality - the underlying organization, structure and nomenclature that define the relationships between a site’s content/functionality
The information architecture (IA) is not part of the on-screen user interface (UI) — rather, IA informs UI. The IA is documented in spreadsheets and diagrams, not in wireframes, comprehensive layouts (known as comps), or prototypes.
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The activities undertaken in defining an information architecture involve:
- Content inventory: Examination of a website to locate and identify existing site content
- Content audit: Evaluation of content usefulness, accuracy, tone of voice, and overall effectiveness
- Information grouping: Definition of user-centered relationships between content
- Taxonomy development: Definition of a standardized naming convention (controlled vocabulary) to apply to all site content.
- Descriptive information creation: Definition of useful metadata that can be utilized to generate “Related Link” lists or other navigation components that aid discovery.