Short answer
Information architecture organizes and labels information so people can understand and find what they need. It defines structures, categories, relationships, and navigation logic rather than the behavior or visual treatment of a task.
About Information architecture
Organizes and labels information so people can understand and find what they need. The competency covers grouping, naming, hierarchy, relationships, navigation models, and validation of findability.
Use this competency for
- Roles accountable for content structure, taxonomy, navigation, labeling, or findability.
- Roles that organize complex information across a product, service, or knowledge space.
Do not use this competency for
- Roles that place content into an established structure without deciding organization or labels.
Important distinctions
Content design
Information architecture defines where information belongs and how it relates. Content design shapes the words and content sequence that help people act.
Interaction design
Information architecture organizes and labels the information space. Interaction design defines how controls and system responses support a task.
Expectations by level
IC1
Individual contributor 1
Organizes a defined set of information with guidance, applies an established taxonomy, uses clear labels, and documents uncertain placements for review.
Observable behaviors
- Groups related content using the team's established organizing principle.
- Writes labels that distinguish neighboring categories without internal jargon.
- Maps a bounded navigation path and identifies duplicate or missing destinations.
Examples
- Reorganizes help topics into approved categories and flags two articles that fit more than one group.
- Replaces similar menu labels with terms that make each destination distinguishable.
IC2
Individual contributor 2
Independently designs and validates an information structure for a product area, resolves competing grouping needs, and documents taxonomy and navigation decisions for implementation.
Observable behaviors
- Chooses an organizing model based on user goals, content relationships, and maintenance needs.
- Tests labels or groupings and revises the structure using observed findability problems.
- Defines taxonomy rules, synonyms, and ownership for a bounded information set.
Examples
- Tests two navigation groupings and revises categories where participants repeatedly search in the wrong place.
- Defines naming and placement rules for a growing library so new entries can be classified consistently.
IC3
Individual contributor 3
Leads information architecture across connected domains, resolves structural conflicts between teams, and establishes governance for evolving taxonomies, relationships, and navigation models.
Observable behaviors
- Models relationships across information owned by multiple product areas.
- Facilitates decisions when local navigation needs conflict with a shared structure.
- Defines governance for adding, changing, merging, and retiring taxonomy terms.
Examples
- Creates a shared model connecting accounts, projects, reports, and permissions across three product areas.
- Establishes a review process for taxonomy changes after duplicate categories begin fragmenting search results.