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Information Architecture and Navigation

Site Map

A site map is a visual representation of a website - outlining the site pages that different content items will go and the relationship between these pages.

Content Audit

A content audit edits, evaluates, and prioritizes the content documented in the inventory. Audits uncover content that is outdated, incorrect, or irrelevant - as well as content that is missing and needs to be developed.

Content Inventory

A content inventory includes a list of every instance of digital content currently created, as well as any other relevant information about the content.

Information Architecture

Information Architecture is the organization and presentation of valuable information within a digital interface.

A site map being built by a construction crew. The homepage in this example is at the top of the site map and encompasses the catalog, resources, and community pages. Challenges, articles, videos, and projects are sub-pages under the resources page. Forums, chat, and stories are sub-pages under the community page.

Navigation

Navigation defines the user’s path to access pages and content on an interface.

Types of Desktop Navigation

There are a variety of different types of desktop navigation, including horizontal menus, sidebars, hamburger menus, dropdown menus, and search bars.

Tree Testing

A tree testing study is a study to evaluate the structure of a site hierarchy by asking users to navigate through a hierarchical menu to complete a set of tasks.

Mental Models

There are three mental models for any given product. The designer model is the mental image in the head of the designer. The user model is the mental image in the head of the user.The system model is the actual image conveyed by the product and written material.

Card Sorting

Card sorting is a user research technique that asks participants to organize cards into groups that make the most sense to them.

User Interviews

User interviews are a UX research method where a researcher conducts interviews with individual participants.

Illustration consisting of three panels, each showing a researcher conducting an interview with a different participant.

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