Information architecture, or IA, is the discipline of distilling and organizing information in a structural format that is streamlined, easy to understand and navigate, and user-centric. It serves as the invisible guide that makes it easy for users to find what they need, verify its appropriateness, utilize the relevant resources, and get on with their day.
Supplying the user with what they need, ensuring that the information is organized and categorized properly, and making the information easy to maneuver are key components in information architecture. These features lend directly to good, invisible design which, in turn, creates an incredible user experience.
In branding, information architecture unifies form and function providing a consistent flow between screens or interfaces. A well-structured information architecture mapping will incorporate industry-standard design and strategy principles.
In developing and designing the user experience for a brand, these principles and resources show the simplicity and efficacy in applying information architecture. The practice yields elevated, sophisticated design and strategy—form and function—in ways that directly support the end-user and underscore the brand’s value proposition.