Information Architecture Glossary

A research method where users group content labels into categories that make sense to them, revealing mental models.

A qualitative assessment of existing content evaluating accuracy, relevance, quality, and effectiveness.

A comprehensive catalog listing every content asset in a system with associated metadata.

A standardized set of terms used for consistent indexing and retrieval of content.

A filtering system that allows users to narrow content using multiple independent dimensions simultaneously.

The quality of being locatable or navigable within an information environment.

A classification system created collaboratively by users through free-form tagging rather than by a centralized authority.

The primary navigation system present on every page of a website, providing consistent access to top-level sections.

An expert review method where evaluators assess an interface against a set of recognized usability principles.

The structural design of shared information environments, focusing on organization, labeling, navigation, and search.

A theory describing how users seek information using strategies analogous to animals foraging for food, following information scent.

Cues that help users assess whether a navigation path will lead to their desired content.

The set of terms and icons used to represent content categories, navigation options, and links within an information space.

A user's internal understanding of how a system is organized and how it works.

Structured data that describes, explains, or locates other data, making it easier to retrieve, use, and manage.

The set of mechanisms allowing users to move through and orient themselves within an information space.

A formal representation of knowledge as a set of concepts and the relationships between them within a domain.

The schemes and structures used to group and relate content, including hierarchical, sequential, and matrix arrangements.

A hierarchical structure in which an item can have more than one parent, appearing in multiple categories.

A design strategy that sequences information across multiple screens or interactions, revealing complexity gradually.

The tools and interfaces enabling users to query content and receive relevant results within an information environment.

A visual or structured representation of all pages and content in a website, showing hierarchical relationships.

A hierarchical classification scheme organizing content into categories and subcategories based on shared attributes.

A usability method testing whether users can find items in a proposed hierarchy, using a text-only tree structure.

A low-fidelity visual guide representing the skeletal framework of a page, showing layout, content placement, and navigation.