Mapping information architecture

2017 - Calum Shepherd

Time to break the blogging drought with a hands-on post.

For a recent product launch, our team used mind mapping to build the information architecture (IA), rather than the more conventional site-tree approach.

“Information architecture is the practice of deciding how to arrange the parts of something to be understandable.” - IA Institute

We used software to run the process. Ideally we’d have collaborated in a physical space, but since that wasn’t an option, we went with what felt like the next best thing.

MindNode 2 - a user-friendly Mac App Store tool - became our primary way of visualising early ideas. It let us collaborate effectively as a team and share progress with stakeholders and users alike.

With MindNode, you can quickly add nodes as new information or topics emerge - from user research, search demand, stakeholder conversations, or input from subject matter experts.

Diagram tips

A few things that helped us build clearer IA diagrams:

• Line colours. Use different colours to separate topics or highlight different audiences.
• Line weightings. Adjust thickness to signal the volume or complexity of information.
• Arrows. Show relationships between nodes, or flag important cross-linking.
• Node types. Use distinct node styles to represent content type (video, image, text).
• Notes. Add short explanations of where information came from - user research findings, for example.

It also helps to create a couple of “legend” nodes as a quick reference for anyone viewing the diagram.

MindNode is flexible enough to handle change easily - move or reorganise elements and everything else adjusts and resizes around it. It’s intentionally loose enough that no one mistakes it for a final deliverable, while still being clear and genuinely collaborative.

For more on IA more broadly, The Ultimate Guide to Information Architecture on Web Designer Depot is a solid reference.

Give it a try, and let me know how you get on.