Everything About Information Architecture
What is information architecture?
Information architecture is a discipline concerned with the effective and usable organization, structuring, and categorization of content and data, primarily for websites and applications.
Application front ends are becoming increasingly complex, spanning multiple platforms, supporting a variety of use cases, and utilizing data from an ever-growing number of data sources. Information architecture is the science of assembling disparate components into a coherent whole.
Information architecture framework
Without a strong information architecture, businesses are unable to maximize the value of data stored in warehouses, according to Daniel Wallance, associate partner at McKinsey & Co.
“Data volumes have increased significantly over the last several years,” he notes. This has compelled organizations to focus on developing information architecture frameworks that are informed by enterprise-level decisions about data platform selection, metadata tracking across systems, and single pane of glass visibility of data.
Developing an information architecture framework requires collaboration among infrastructure teams, data experts, business unit leaders, and risk managers, and typically takes several years, according to Wallance. “It is critical to establish a clear vision for information architecture and an enabling strategy that garners organizational buy-in.”
The payoff is that a modern information architecture will not only maximize the value of a company's data today, but will also position it for future business needs and resilience. The risk of failing to modernize the information architecture framework is that organizations will accumulate technology debt, rendering them incapable of leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The work of an information architect
Information architects can work at various levels within an organization. Some create information architecture platforms, which weave together all the threads — infrastructure, governance, business requirements, and the requirements of the applications and systems that consume company data — into a seamless whole. Others take on a more limited, focused role, focusing on specific use cases.
For instance, an information architect can be instrumental in the development of an employee information portal or an e-commerce website. To accomplish this, they must first comprehend business requirements and user requirements, collaborate with data engineers to identify and organize data sources, and collaborate with user experience (UX) developers to create front ends that enable users to quickly obtain the information they require, when they require it, and in the format that is most useful to them.
Information architects can begin their careers as data engineers, business analysts, or user experience designers and then learn the other facets of the job.
Information architecture design
At a more fundamental level, information architecture is the process of organizing data in a way that makes it usable by the user, according to Sridhar Vasudeven, practice director at Insight, a Tempe-based technology consulting firm.
This includes an understanding of the information environment's structural design. “How do you organize and synthesize that data? How are you going to label it? How do you organize it so that it is searchable? How do you structure your navigation so that users can find what they're looking for?” he asks.
The design of information architecture requires an understanding of the user's objectives and the establishment of navigation paths that lead to those objectives. “And, in today's world, you must also ensure consistency across multiple channels,” Vasudeven adds. “Today, you may seek information via a website; tomorrow, you may seek information via a phone or Alexa.”
For users, a well-designed information architecture will assist them in locating the information they seek, but this is only one of its functions. Additionally, it can assist users in exploring and locating items they may desire but are unaware of. For instance, a website visitor looking for oranges may be recommended other fruits to try or offered juicers.
When users do discover what they're looking for, a well-designed information architecture can assist them in locating additional context and information necessary to make a decision, such as nutritional information or user reviews.
Finally, a well-designed information architecture should ensure that users can easily locate items they previously discovered on the site.
Data architecture vs. Information architecture
Although some companies use the terms interchangeably, data architecture focuses on the technical aspects of data management, including dealing with raw data and the sources that supply it, as well as data lifecycle management and the infrastructure required, according to Vasudeven.
By contrast, information architecture places a higher premium on the meaning and usability of data. As a result, Vasudeven notes that information architects frequently come from the business analyst or user experience design backgrounds, as a critical component of information architecture is the ability to visually present data via sitemaps, tree structures, or graphic design.
Information architecture jobs and career paths
While very small businesses frequently rely on off-the-shelf tools and applications for information architecture, midsize and larger businesses frequently rely on the work of information architects, particularly if the organization conducts business on the web.
As a result, information architecture skills are highly sought after across a broad range of industries. For example, ZipRecruiter currently lists over 200,000 information architect jobs.
Because information architects work at the interface of several disciplines, their career paths can be quite varied. According to career resources website Zippia, the most common major for information architects is computer science, but English, business, and graphic design are also popular choices, as there is no specific degree or career path for information architects. Practitioners frequently acquire knowledge as they go.
“We frequently see information architects acquire skills through on-the-job training as managers of specific systems or infrastructure capabilities,” Wallance of McKinsey says. They then acquire a diversified portfolio over time. “Rotating information architects across business functions is also an excellent way to increase visibility across business units,” he adds.
Wallance advises information architects seeking to position themselves for the future to stay current on trends, platforms, and technologies — and those with a technology background to seek opportunities to engage with business executives, and vice versa.
