Information architecture aims to make content discoverable and navigable for users to increase engagement. However, information architecture is also political due to organizational structures separating disciplines like design, search optimization, and taxonomy. There are incentives for different groups to prioritize their own content, leading to duplicates or disconnected information. The speaker argues for a user-centered approach and process that validates changes across stakeholders to align efforts and establish shared understanding and agreements. Ultimately, information architecture reflects the complexity of people working together towards a unified user experience.

1. Presentation
The politics of
information architecture
Michael Priestley
Speaker
Avalara
Information architect/taxonomist

2. What is information
architecture?
Goal
To make useful content discoverable and
navigable by our audiences, resulting in
increased traffic, engagement,
progression, conversion, revenue, and
retention
How
By organizing around what matters to the
user, and connecting content to enable
learning and decision making (exploration
and progression)

3. Why is information
architecture political?

4. Organizations follow the
square-cube law
UX research
• Design
• Content
• Search optimization
• User research
• Analytics
= Information architecture
One person wears many hats
Each hat gets a department
Visual design
SEO
Taxonomy
Information architecture

5. The need for information
architecture increases with scale
Disciplines
Design
Research Analytics
Content arch
Taxonomy
SEO
Digital strategy
Channels
Web
Email
Social
Design
Research
Taxonomy
SEO
...
Design
Design
Analytics
Analytics
Taxonomy
Taxonomy
...
...
We need common models that connect user needs across all these dimensions and more
Categories
Marketing
Training
Docs/
Support
Web Email Social
Web Email Social
Web Email
Prod
UI
Products/Services
Product
family
Platform Service
area
Marketing
Training
Dev hub
Docs
UI
Skills
Marketing Marketing
Training Training

6. Are we still asking why
IA is political?

7. How can we align?
Focus on the user
What is the purpose of the content,
relative to the user and their goals?

8. Um
Branding
Attract
developers
Inform
investors
Support
customer
Sell
product
Teach
skills
Recruit
employees
Access
product
Recruit
partners
Explain
product
And and
and…
Nurture
relationships
Which users?
Which goals?

9. Can we agree on helping the user get
what they need to succeed?
All content is findable
All content has a purpose
All content is connected
How about…

10. Organize content to enable
user navigation and choice
Branding
Support
product
Inform
investors
Doc
product
Sell
product
Get
certified
Recruit
employees
Access
product
Recruit
partners
Explain
product
Explain
concepts
Get skills
Compare
products
Extend
or
upgrade
Support
partners

11. So everybody’s happy, right?
All content is
findable
Who gets a link on
the homepage?
Who gets the
boost to page 1 of
search results?
What makes it into
the newsletter?
Topics vs brands vs
campaigns?
Full inclusion vs
preview vs link?
Where do you
link?
All content has a
purpose
If there are
duplicates, who
wins?
What kinds of
purpose are
there?
All content is
connected
Which menu
should a page live
under?
How many clicks
still count as
connected?

12. So many incentives to break our own rules…
All content is
findable
All content has a
purpose
All content is
connected
But I want my content to be
more findable than yours…
But my purpose for this page is
different from yours, even if the
user can’t tell the difference!
If you won’t link to my priorities
from your page or channel, I
have to create a duplicate!

13. So who owns what?
Training Docs Dev
Product
tutorials
Product
tutorials
Product
tutorials
Eliminate overlaps by differentiating mandates
Training Docs Dev
Product
tutorials
for non-
dev
Product
how-tos
for all
Product
tutorials
for dev
Discourage duplication by requiring cross linking
Product
tutorials
for non-
dev
Product
how-tos
for all
Product
tutorials
for dev

14. Change the question
Instructional designer
Product expert
Developer advocate
Training
Docs
Dev
Product tutorials
for non-dev
Product how-tos
for all
Product tutorials
for dev
Who authors the content? Where is it published? What is it related to?
Product menu Get started Training Help Support

15. Process is political
Audit Pick an area to
focus on
Identify existing
problems
Establish baseline
metrics and
analytics
requirements
Annotate
Pick
representative
content
Suggest logic for
relational
elements (menus,
cards, links, etc.)
Validate with
content owners
Mockup
Work with design
to address
requirements
Map requirements
to existing
components
Identify gaps and
revalidate with
content owners
Document
Spec out
component
requirements
Communicate
requirements to
development and
design
Track acceptance
of requirements
across teams and
systems
Prototype
Develop
interactive
prototype
Show value of new
IA to authors,
users, other
stakeholders
Connect work
directly to
business
objectives
Stakeholders
Business unit
leadership
Business unit
authors
Analytics
Business unit
authors
UX design
Business unit
authors
Design system
Content
architects
CMS
development
Taxonomy
development
UX research
Content
architects
UX design
Business unit
leadership
Company
leadership
Content
architects
Need an area with
internal authority
that is open to
collaboration
Communication
with developers
may be gated
Broadcast option vs
ongoing community
involvement

16. Life is political
“Who” comes before “what” More people, many more relationships
The information architecture is a record
of understanding and agreement
Document the “who” and the “why” of your decisions
Be prepared for change

17. What is information
architecture?
Goal
To make useful content discoverable and navigable by
our audiences, resulting in increased traffic,
engagement, progression, conversion, revenue, and
retention
How
By organizing around what matters to the user, and
connecting content to enable learning and decision
making (exploration and progression)
Information architecture is also a system
for managing the complexity of people working together
towards a unified information experience

18. Q&A