information-architecture

# Information Architecture

Design findable, usable content structures using the four IA systems: Organization, Labeling, Navigation, and Search.

## When to Use

- Designing website or application structure
- Creating taxonomies and categorization schemes
- Planning navigation systems and sitemaps
- Modeling content for headless CMS
- Conducting card sorting or tree testing
- Optimizing findability and information scent

## When NOT to Use

- Visual design (colors, typography, spacing)
- Interaction design (animations, micro-interactions)
- Frontend implementation (HTML/CSS/JS coding)
- Database schema design (use data modeling instead)

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## Quick Start

1. **Audit**: Inventory existing content and user needs
2. **Organize**: Choose organization scheme (LATCH)
3. **Label**: Define terminology and controlled vocabulary
4. **Navigate**: Design navigation patterns
5. **Validate**: Test with tree testing or card sorting

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## The Four IA Systems

```mermaid
flowchart TB
    subgraph IA["Information Architecture"]
        direction TB
        OS["Organization Systems<br/>How we categorize"]
        LS["Labeling Systems<br/>How we represent"]
        NS["Navigation Systems<br/>How we browse"]
        SS["Search Systems<br/>How we query"]
    end

    OS --> |"defines structure for"| NS
    LS --> |"provides vocabulary for"| SS
    OS --> |"creates categories for"| LS
    NS --> |"supplements"| SS

    Users((Users)) --> NS
    Users --> SS
    Content[(Content)] --> OS
    Content --> LS
```

| System | Purpose | Key Deliverables |
|--------|---------|------------------|
| **Organization** | How content is categorized | Taxonomies, hierarchies, facets |
| **Labeling** | How content is named | Controlled vocabulary, naming conventions |
| **Navigation** | How users browse | Sitemaps, menus, breadcrumbs |
| **Search** | How users query | Filters, facets, autocomplete |

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## Core Procedure

### Phase 1: Research and Discovery

**Goal**: Understand users, content,