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What is Information Architecture?
An essential design component
The most essential design component
supporting users’ attempts at finding content easily
on the web is the structuring, organising and labelling of
information, or the information architecture (IA). The IA
comprises the structure of the information and also the components
for searching and browsing that information such as headings,
labels and the search engine logic.
Effective navigation and searching are dependent on a well-structured
IA. For multi-layered web sites such as those in finance, e-commerce
and the public sector, it is essential that the IA is planned
with user input and tested to ensure that the intended audience
quickly and easily finds the content they are looking for.
The benefits
Optimising the information structure and terminology brings
many benefits to the users and the organisations concerned.
Overall, these benefits are very similar to the benefits of
improved usability, and include:
- reduced search times and greater
task success
- less effort to find the required
information or services
- improved productivity for internal
staff using intranets
- reduced frustration and increased
satisfaction
- increased customer retention
A well planned IA is more predictable, and
helps your users quickly understand the structure of the web
site or application.
Bottom line, usability and testing
makes your site more effective and more profitable.
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