Information Architecture
An effective Information Architecture (IA) enables people to step logically through a system confident they are getting closer to the information they require.
- Iain Barker- Use plain language.
- Avoid acronyms and insider terminology. Don’t be clever.
- Avoid pages with unclear names (i.e. "Find Out More" or "Related Links")
- Organize according to logical categories in which users would expect to find things, around the common names they call things.
- Plan for expansion. Find a 'home' for content that may be coming in the near future.
- Avoid way-finding pages as much as possible If it's necessary, plan to write content for way-finding pages; pages that solely exist to get you to subpage A or B.
- Don't overload the navigation; it's meaningless if everything is top level
View information architecture examples.