Information architecture is one of the essential aspects of a good user experience design, and it is used across most digital products made either for mobile or web. You might wonder what information architecture UX is if you are new to UX Design. It is an architecture responsible for setting the blueprint of a digital product. Information architecture basics include organizing content, hierarchy, and utilities.
This architecture aims to make products efficient by boosting the navigational capabilities of a particular product. Implementing a good IA across a digital product guides designers and developers for a better future by making it easier to experience, test, and explore new features. The presence of information architecture-based UX makes it easier for stakeholders to make critical product decisions. With that being said, here’s a brief overview of how information architecture basics are built.
Information architecture basics design process
Information architecture comes directly under user experience. Since it emphasizes the navigational aspects, it follows a similar approach to the flowchart’s organizing activity. All the sections of a digital product are penned on cards; these cards are then connected in an organized fashion right away to a single document. This sorting activity is usually carried based on the insights gathered by potential users such that the outcome is legible and easy to interpret.
IA of any digital product can be built with the help of the following assets:
Visual Hierarchy:
A visual hierarchy comprises different elements like levels, content, and features in an organized manner. These elements are put together in a design based on research-focused insights. For example, if food order happens to be one of the critical features of an application, most product features would be shaped around it, including the information architecture basics.
This is how visual hierarchy continues to be one of the essential factors behind contextuality and generalization.
A Legend Itinerary:
Information Architecture demonstrates a lot of its applications visually. This is why most of the elements covered in information architecture basics are objectified through colors, shapes, or other potential factors. All these elements are collectively used to build a legend. This legend offers a comprehensive insight into various aspects like flows, interactions, and product features. Legend describes the segmentation of elements in an appealing manner with different shapes and colors.
This legend is built with the sole purpose of understanding a product’s flow with IA itself. Not every model created using IA may be complete or perfect, but it helps IA specialists get a clear idea about how a team can approach a product.
If you wish to learn more, check out the Information Architecture course on ProApp. This course has a detailed syllabus from introduction to best practices, ensuring that the enthusiasts get the best insights and apply them right away to their projects.