Module 05 · 20 min
Guidelines and card sorting
Strong IA follows a few guidelines, then uses card sorting so groups and labels come from how people think — not only from the team’s org chart.
Guidelines for IA
Work from the lowest level of content up to top-level sections. Do not mind if people click a few times — mindless choices beat a crowded first screen.
- Bottom to top — start with detailed content, then roll up into sections.
- I don’t mind if you make me click — depth is fine when each step is obvious.
- Making choices mindless — clear labels and groups so people do not have to think hard.
Card sorting
Write one content item or feature per card. Ask people (or sort yourself using research) to group cards and name the groups. Photograph or export: cards before sorting, cards after sorting, and labeled groups.
Online card-sorting tools work when you cannot sit in a room with sticky notes. Keep the same three artefacts either way.
From sorted cards to an IA diagram
Turn labeled groups into a navigation diagram: home, main sections, and key utilities. That diagram is the deliverable stakeholders review before wireframes.