Information architecture

Definition
How content is organised and labelled so people can find it.
Advanced
Covers taxonomy, hierarchy, navigation, and search facets. Validated with card sorting and tree testing and supported by content models that map to URLs and metadata.
Why it matters
Improves findability, reduces bounce, and strengthens SEO.
Use cases
- Site or help centre restructure
- New services taxonomy
- Search and filtering design
Metrics
- Findability task success rate
- Time to find key content
- Search refinement and exit rate
Issues
- Organisation-centric labels instead of user language
- Duplicate categories that split relevance
Example
Services grouped by outcome with consistent labels and facets for industry, price range, and turnaround time.