etailology

What’s IA? Information Architecture (IA) is the first step in designing an effective web experience; most of what a user experiences on a site is how they find their way to the information they came to find. Note: users “go to” sites, they don’t “read them.” It’s not visual, and it’s not about a single page or template; rather, it’s about the quantity and distribution of information on the site, and how the user flows through that information.

IA is the key connection between strategy and creative for the website. The organization of the content can connote your company very weakly or very strongly, and it can embody the brand completely, or not at all.

Many IA options exist for any site. While the obvious solutions would likely work – it’s important to explore other options. After all, we can always retreat to the “old standards” after exploring other ideas. The site could be organized/navigated by:

• Member Type, Non-Member Type
• Content Type
• Special Interest
• Industry
• Application Persona
• Strategic Significance of the target user

The site could be redesigned as a wiki or blog. It could be reduced to just a couple pages, or expanded to thousands. Each and all of these decisions should be made based on the brand and business objectives.

IA is the key.

Of course the site will look good. Of course it will adhere to the brand guidelines. Of course the navigation will be user friendly and the technology flawless. Any worthwhile web development organization will deliver these items without incident. But will it sell? Will it enhance membership? Will it position the brand properly?