Information Architecture (or IA) may sound purely academic, but it is actually very practical. What is necessary for the user experience is how to display the content published to the site and the path of placement so that users can find and consume content. This article provides some practical suggestions to help you fully understand IA and build a better word press site. What is information architecture? By default, IA is a science that defines the tasks to be performed by the site and then builds a blueprint before integrating all the content. The core is to make it easier for users to find, understand and use content, regardless of format. The
The IA plan has four basic functional components. Organization – how content is combined, displayed Whether the label is organized – navigation is called site element and its representation (such as the word on the navigation menu tab) – search the method for users to browse the site – search the method for users to find the site. Before establishing the IA plan for the standby ia worksite, some preparatory work must be performed. Step 1: start by understanding the goals and objectives of the site. What is the purpose of the site? What does the site owner want to achieve on the site? The
Step 2: next, identify the end user of the site. The more specific you know who they are, the better the IA program will be. One way to do this is to create a user persona. The completed user persona example can be seen in the following screenshot of Smashing Magazine. The third stage: next, I want to draw the journey of users through the website. Where will they come from? How will they access your website? Remember that your site has one or more portals. Theoretically, all pages can be users’ doors. The
Consider how users know where to go next and where to go. Then you can get ideas on how to use navigation aids. Step 4: finally, analyze the content requirements. When you redesign your site, you must perform a content inventory to determine what needs to be processed. You can then continue to identify the white space in the content. What new content do you need and how do you create it (e.g. outsourcing, client, team, etc.)? The next step in content configuration is to transform the user roadmap, content inventory, and content gap list into an organizational structure and system. The
An organizational system can be precise, subjective, or a mixture of the two. A correct plan is one that can be objectively identified. Examples include alphabetical (phonebook, employee list), chronological (timeline, tutorials), and geographic (or location-based) scenarios. The most common subjective approach is the thematic approach, but task-based and audience based approaches can also be used effectively. There are also various types of organizational structures. For most thematic schemes, hierarchical structure is the most appropriate choice. In a hierarchy, based on overview work, nested pages that contain subtopics. The
When creating an organizational plan and structure, consider the long term. In order to grow as expected in the future, you must extend the structure. In addition, do not make the content method too narrow or too shallow. In the screenshot with the following comments, find the balance between the theme width and the detail depth, as shown in the figure. Tags: it is also important to define and execute methods to tag site elements. Tags are a way for users to explain the structure and browse the site. Labels are symbols and abbreviations of content. Consider the contacts page. When users see the word \
