What Is Information Architecture in UX

How to Transform Product Discovery Chaos into Structure

Understanding Information Architecture (IA)

• Information architecture (IA) organizes content and features in an app, serving as the master plan for a product.

• A well-executed IA leads to faster user navigation, improved team efficiency, and reduced redundancy in screen rebuilding.

• Conversely, poor IA results in bloated features, user confusion, and teams that frequently second-guess their decisions.

Four Steps to Establishing Effective IA

Step 1: Object-Oriented UX

• Focus on core objects users interact with (e.g., Projects, Clients, Tasks, Invoices), rather than just actions like creating or tracking.

• Identify attributes of these objects such as due dates and status to maintain a clean structure as features evolve.

Step 2: Build User Stories

• Create user stories using the format: "As a [user], I want to [action], so I can [benefit]."

• Connect each story to specific flows within the app by identifying relevant pages and actions triggered by those stories.

Step 3: Define Your Modals

• Recognize when users need focused spaces for completing actions; utilize modals or dedicated pages for this purpose.

Step 4: Map Relationships

• Illustrate how different objects relate to one another (e.g., projects connect to tasks and invoices).

• Visualize data flow across the product using diagrams or arrows to enhance user experience through seamless navigation.

Conclusion on Implementing IA

• While establishing effective information architecture may seem daunting, it is essential for transforming ideas into usable products.

• Eleken assists SaaS teams in structuring their scattered features into user-friendly applications that support business logic and scalable navigation.