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Information architecture and navigation design

Finding information is a key problem on the web. We can help:

Structure the information on your web site or intranet so that it makes sense to users
Design a simple navigation system that allows users to find information easily.

Our approach

We usually begin by taking stock of the content you have on your site. For very large sites, we may suggest a high level audit. To save money, you might want your staff do a detailed inventory using tools we can provide.

To design the first draft of a new structure, we may:

Review existing content organisation schemes (e.g. your product or service catalogues). These can be used to help design parts of the new architecture
Run card sorting activities with key user groups. We make sets of cards that represent content from your site and ask users to sort them into categories.

We then test the draft structure. We ask users to find information using a paper version of the navigation. This helps us decide whether any changes are required. We repeat this until we have a design that seems to work well.

Finally, we document the design and produce a series of wireframes. These are screen diagrams that show the labelling and placement of navigation elements. You can send these to a designer to produce the final visual design for your site.

How we work

We will talk to you to identify:

Key user groups and their content needs
Tasks or information goals that your content must support
Content and business goals for your site
Concerns you may have about your site structure and navigation
Scope, expectations and timelines for the project.

Based on our discussions with you, we will draft a proposal. This will set out how the work will be done, when it will be finished and what you'll get from us at the end of the project.