User Research + Info Architecture: How to Build Maps Users Actually Want to Follow

Imagine trying to navigate a new city with no street signs, no map, and only your intuition to guide you. That’s what users feel like when a website’s Information Architecture (IA) misses the mark. The fix? User research! It’s the secret ingredient to shaping an IA that feels intuitive, logical, and—most importantly—user-friendly. When we understand how users think, browse, and interact, we can create structures that meet their needs and make navigation feel as smooth as a Sunday drive.

Why User Research is the Foundation of Good IA

Let’s get right to it: without user research, information architecture is essentially guesswork. While assumptions about what users need can sometimes work, research-based insights lead to more strategic, deliberate choices in organizing content and navigation.

How User Research Benefits IA

User research allows us to see through our users’ eyes. By understanding their behavior, goals, and pain points, we can create a website layout that naturally aligns with their needs. It’s the difference between leaving breadcrumbs that guide users straight to the content they want and watching them wander aimlessly.

Types of User Research That Shape IA

Not all research is created equal. For IA specifically, certain methods provide the clearest insights into how content should be organized. Here’s a look at the heavy-hitters in user research that help structure rock-solid IA.

1. Card Sorting: Let Users Organize for You

Card sorting is an incredibly effective way to understand how users categorize information. With this technique, users organize topics or pieces of content into groups that make sense to them. This provides invaluable insights into how users think about and access information.

How to Use It:

• Open Card Sort: Give users free rein to group and label categories.
• Closed Card Sort: Provide predefined categories and ask users to sort content accordingly.

Why It’s Gold for IA: Card sorting reveals how users mentally organize content. If users repeatedly place a certain topic under a particular category, that’s a strong indication of how the IA should be structured.

2. Tree Testing: Making Sure Users Don’t Get Lost in the Branches

Tree testing helps verify if your IA allows users to find what they’re looking for easily. It presents the content hierarchy without any design elements and tests how users navigate through it to find specific information.

How to Use It:

• Present users with a task, such as “find customer support information.”
• Observe how easily they can locate it within your proposed IA structure.

Why It’s Gold for IA: Tree testing reveals whether your IA is logical and intuitive. If users struggle to find information, it’s a cue that certain elements need restructuring.

3. User Interviews: Digging Deep for Nuanced Insights

One-on-one interviews allow you to explore user behavior, motivations, and challenges at a granular level. By asking open-ended questions, you can uncover detailed insights about how users perceive and prioritize information.

How to Use It:

• Ask users how they typically look for information on similar sites.
• Dig into any frustrations they’ve experienced with navigation or layout.

Why It’s Gold for IA: Interviews provide qualitative insights that might not come through in quantitative data. Hearing firsthand from users helps uncover nuanced needs, like a desire for a certain feature to be easily accessible.

4. Analytics Data: Following the Digital Breadcrumbs

User behavior data can reveal a ton about how users interact with your IA. By analyzing patterns such as where users drop off, which pages are most popular, and time spent on certain sections, you get a solid understanding of what’s working and what isn’t.

How to Use It:

• Check for high-exit pages and consider why users might abandon these sections.
• Track search queries to see if users are looking for content that’s hard to find.

Why It’s Gold for IA: Analytics provide concrete, data-driven insights into user behavior. When paired with qualitative research, analytics paint a full picture of your IA’s strengths and weaknesses.

Using Research Findings to Shape Information Architecture

Once you’ve gathered your research, it’s time to translate that data into actionable IA improvements. Here’s how to put your insights to work.

1. Define Primary Content Categories Based on User Priorities

After analyzing card sorting and interview results, you’ll have a solid understanding of how users mentally categorize content. Use this information to define the main categories on your site. Make sure these categories reflect user preferences, not just internal business jargon.

Pro Tip: Avoid “mystery meat” labels like “Resources” or “Solutions”—use terminology that directly speaks to users and makes their choices crystal clear.

2. Organize Subcategories to Match User Expectations

User research will often reveal hidden gems about subcategories. Pay close attention to any patterns in how users expect to see content organized within primary categories. Tree testing is especially valuable here, ensuring your nested information follows a natural path for users.

Pro Tip: Think of it as a family tree for content—logical, well-organized, and easy to navigate from one “branch” to the next.

3. Prioritize Frequently Accessed Information

Analytics and interviews often reveal the high-traffic, must-have content for your users. Place these items prominently within your IA. This may mean including shortcuts on the homepage, dedicated links in the navigation bar, or featured “quick access” sections.

Pro Tip: The most popular content should never be more than a few clicks away. Accessibility and convenience are key to a successful IA.

4. Test and Iterate to Perfect the Structure

Remember, no IA is set in stone. The best IA evolves over time. After implementing changes, continue testing with real users to see if your IA meets their needs. Use follow-up tree tests, interviews, and analytics to fine-tune your structure, always aiming for the best user experience.

Why User-Centric IA Is a Win-Win for Users and Designers

When you let users guide your IA, you’re designing for real-life behavior—not assumptions. User-centric IA makes navigation more intuitive, information easier to find, and overall experiences more enjoyable. Plus, fewer confused users mean fewer support requests and happier clients. Everybody wins!

User Research + IA = Navigational Bliss

So, the next time you’re tasked with organizing a mountain of content, don’t go in blind. Lean into user research! Let your audience’s needs and preferences be the compass that guides you. When you understand how users think and navigate, your IA practically designs itself—and, more importantly, users will thank you by actually sticking around.