Information Architecture Design

An information architecture (IA) design describes the detailed structure and content of an information space. An IA design might include:

• Hierarchical diagrams or site maps showing the organization of information at two or more levels.
• Wireframe diagrams of important pages or page types showing the organization of information. For example, the home page and a typical product page for a shopping site, or the company information screen and an individual’s contact information screen for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application.

The design may also include recommendations for:

• Content metadata to improve searching, search engine optimization, categorization, filtering, and maintenance.
• Controlled vocabularies (standardized terms used to provide consistency across a website or application for improved searching).
• Indices and thesauri (to assist users in browsing for information).
• User personalization of content.
• Dynamic content.

IA design diagrams show the levels at which functions or areas of content should appear. They do not prescribe the appearance of the user interface or the format of content. Interaction design and visual design are used to provide solutions for effective presentation of interfaces and content.