Information architecture (IA) is about organising and structuring content so that users can easily find what they are looking for. It is the logical skeleton of the product.

Key principles

• Group related content into coherent categories.
• Prioritise from the most general to the most specific.
• Name sections with words the user understands.
• Limit depth so people do not get lost.

A useful technique is card sorting: you ask users to organise the content themselves. This reveals their mental model, which is often different from yours. Good architecture makes navigation obvious: users always know where they are, where they came from and where they can go next. It is the foundation on which every other design decision rests.

Key takeaway: well-organised information is found effortlessly. Structure content around the user’s logic, not your own.