Information Architecture Template

Research on cognitive load suggests 5-7 items for primary navigation (Miller's law). More than 7 forces users to scan rather than recognize. Fewer than 3 may hide important sections behind extra clicks. If you have more than 7 categories, look for groups that can be combined or demoted to second-level navigation.

Task-based organization works best for products with a clear, shared workflow. User-type organization works when different users have fundamentally different tasks and never overlap. Most products benefit from task-based primary navigation with role-specific views or filters within sections. Your card sort data should guide this decision. The [user persona template](/templates/user-persona-template) helps clarify how different user types think about the product.

Three methods: (1) Card sorting validates grouping. (2) Tree testing validates findability. Give users a task ("Find where to export a report") and see if they can navigate the hierarchy without the visual design. (3) First-click testing validates whether users click the right top-level category. Tools like Optimal Workshop and UserZoom support all three. See the [usability test report template](/templates/usability-test-report-template) for documenting findings.

Revisit IA when you add a new major feature that does not fit cleanly into existing categories, when analytics show high search usage for terms that should be navigable, or when user research reveals that the current structure does not match mental models. A lightweight IA review should happen at least annually for products adding features regularly.

The information architecture is the same. The navigation patterns differ. Desktop can show a full top nav with dropdown menus. Mobile typically uses a bottom tab bar (3-5 items), a hamburger menu for secondary items, and contextual back navigation. The key principle: the hierarchy stays consistent, but the number of visible entry points is reduced on smaller screens. The [mobile app design checklist](/templates) covers mobile-specific navigation patterns. ---