Information Architecture
(for the rest of us!)
Intro 1 2 3 « 4 » 5
Chapter 4
Site structure
Site structure refers to the outline or skeleton that will hold the site together. Having done the previous work, this section will focus on the breakdown of content and its location relative to the rest of the site. After doing this, everything else about your information architecture will fall into place.
1. Make it so, number one
Using the organizational content of Chapter 3 of your design document, create a text-based (or Word document) map or outline of your site.
Major sections decided on in Chapter 3 will become the top level navigation leading to a rational flow or layout of the content. The list should follow a simple outline format with sub-level content indented below its parent level.
You may want to lay out the site structure in a graphic view with boxes representing pages linked by lines to sub-boxes or content pages, like an organization chart. It can be difficult to really visualize the site structure just from a text-based outline, especially if the site is very deep. A graphic layout can assist in "seeing" the architecture.
Here are two examples of site structure in a graphical view (click the image for a larger view):
You will probably need to make a legend to distinguish between functional content pages, static content pages, dynamic pages or downloadable content (PDF or Word documents available for download to the user's browser).
Depending on the complexity of your site, you might end up making several graphical views to define deeper level content structure.
2. Take us home, Scotty
As I've said previously, you already have the major navigation devised, at least in name. Those content section labels devised in Chapter 3 are the basis for your global navigation system.
These main navigation elements should appear on every page of your site, along with your corporate or organizational branding. This is usually across the top of your pages, or down the left hand side.
Try to keep the number of these "global navigation" elements from five to seven. Testimony to the quality of your previous content organization work is that all of your content can be fit logically under five to seven major headings.
Bear in mind that, for complicated content structures, an additional sub-navigation scheme can be developed to further provide logical navigation within any given major navigation section.
3. Design document, chapter 4
Call this chapter "Site Structure. Write your explanation of the rationale behind the site structure and add its listing. If your list is too long, use a shortened version and provide a detailed listing as an appendix.
Create your graphic views (blueprints) and add them into this chapter. Write any documentation necessary for the global and local navigation schemes.
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