Information Architecture
As websites grow, finding the right information can become harder. Content gets added over time, navigation becomes crowded and different teams may organise information around internal structures rather than the way customers actually think. Information architecture gives that content a clearer structure.
At Bright Labs, we use information architecture to organise websites and digital platforms around user needs, content priorities and the tasks people are trying to complete. It often forms part of a website redesign, platform redevelopment or broader UX engagement.
Organise content around how people look for it
Users rarely understand an organisation in the same way the organisation understands itself.
Internal teams may think in departments, business units, products or service lines. Customers are more likely to think about what they need, the problem they are trying to solve or the task they want to complete. Information architecture helps bridge that gap.
We look at how content should be grouped, labelled and connected so users can move through the experience without needing to understand the organisation behind it.
This can include:
- primary and secondary navigation
- content groupings
- page hierarchy
- category structures
- labelling and terminology
- content relationships
- search and filtering requirements
- landing page structures
- pathways for different audience groups
- supporting and related content
The work may cover an entire website or focus on a particular section where the existing structure has become difficult to manage or use.
Reduce complexity without hiding important content
Large websites often contain valuable information that is difficult to access because the structure has evolved without a clear framework.
The answer is rarely to expose everything in the navigation. We work through what users need to see first, what can sit deeper within the experience and how related information should be connected.
This often involves balancing several competing needs:
- making high-priority content easy to reach
- supporting different audience groups
- keeping navigation manageable
- maintaining useful content without creating clutter
- allowing room for future growth
- supporting search visibility
- accommodating internal ownership and governance
For complex organisations, the structure may also need to support multiple services, locations, programs, products or business units while still feeling coherent to the user.
A strong information architecture creates enough structure for people to understand where they are and where to go next.
Use research and data to shape the structure
Information architecture should not be based only on internal preference. Where possible, we use research and behavioural data to understand how users approach the content and what language makes sense to them.
Inputs can include:
- stakeholder interviews
- customer interviews
- website analytics
- site search data
- existing navigation performance
- customer support enquiries
- search behaviour
- content audits
- competitor reviews
- user testing
For larger or more complex projects, we may also use techniques such as card sorting or tree testing to explore how users group information and whether proposed navigation structures make sense.
The level of research depends on the project. A smaller website may only need a focused review of the current structure and content. A large platform with several audiences may require more detailed testing before the architecture is finalised.
The aim is to make structural decisions with enough evidence to reduce guesswork.
Create a structure that supports design and future growth
Information architecture usually sits early in the design process because it influences much of what follows.
Once the structure is agreed, it can guide:
- navigation design
- user flows
- page templates
- wireframes
- content planning
- URL structure
- internal linking
- search and filtering
- CMS architecture
- migration planning
For a website redevelopment, the work may include mapping existing content into the new structure and identifying where content should be retained, consolidated, rewritten or removed.
We also consider how the architecture will hold up after launch. Websites continue to grow, new services are introduced and different teams add content over time.
For larger organisations, this may include guidance around content ownership, naming conventions, navigation rules, page relationships and the governance of new sections.
This gives the project team a clear structure for design and development while helping internal teams maintain it as the website evolves.