Organize your Web site

When major commercial sites redesign or relaunch, they often go through an extensive Information Architecture (IA) testing process that involves user sessions, design mock-ups, and charts so complex they'll melt your eyes. This process defines the content and structure of the site and forces all involved to confront the realities of how much the site can do and how successful it can be. In the independent world there's little reason to embark on a full-fledged commercial IA process -- it's overkill -- but a scaled version can serve you well.

If you've read through the Define section of this site, you've already accomplished the first two steps of IA: You've thought about your site and you've defined its purpose. There are still a couple steps, but they fly by because this is where your site moves from theory to reality.

Let's begin by taking a look at the organization of site content.