Lessons tagged “information-architecture”
7 published lessons with this tag.
Taxonomies are hierarchical categories
Nested categories with parent-child relationships create powerful organizational structures.
Cross-cutting categories
Sometimes you need to classify the same items along multiple independent dimensions.
Intermediate levels are for navigation
Middle layers of hierarchy help you find things without getting lost in detail.
Flat is better than deep when possible
Simpler hierarchies with fewer levels are easier to navigate and maintain.
Hierarchies encode priorities
What sits at the top of your hierarchy reflects what you consider most important.
Progressive disclosure through hierarchy
Good hierarchies let people see the big picture first and drill into detail on demand.
Information flow design
Changing who gets what information and when changes organizational behavior. Information is the input to decisions. When the information changes — when different data reaches different people at different times — the decisions change, and with them the organizational outcomes. Information flow design is one of the most underutilized levers for systemic change because information flows are invisible (unlike structures and processes) and feel intangible (unlike incentives and resources). But information flow changes can produce dramatic behavioral shifts with minimal structural disruption — making them high-leverage, low-cost interventions.