Today’s world is exploding with information, but how do we find what’s relevant to us at the time that we need it? The answer – information architecture.

To stand out in today’s crowded marketplace, organizations need to analyze particular situations from a user’s perspective. They need to understand what problems their users are facing along with the solutions they would like to see. From there, organizations should present the information in a logical way that’s easy to find.

Here are some reasons why information architecture is important for the user and organizations.

For the user:

• Too many options can make it difficult for a user to focus. It can even lead to a user making no decision at all
• It helps keep the user focused on the task they are trying to achieve
• Reduces frustration and provides a seamless experience

For the organization:

• Keeps customers on your website longer
• Increases the chance of customer conversion
• Higher ROI because the platform is efficient and easy to use

With 1,500 stores, PetSmart is North America’s largest specialty pet retailer. The company is not only dedicated to providing services and solutions to pets but also to its customers. PetSmart focuses on providing customers with the best pet information, supplies and services when and how they want it. With the digital market becoming more competitive, the company knew it needed to improve the way pet owners shopped its online catalog.

PetSmart partnered with a third-party vendor to improve customer experience and information architecture for their online catalog. PetSmart accomplished this goal by analyzing and understanding customer needs. They then applied this knowledge to the way their products and assortments of products were organized on their website. This resulted in a new navigation experience.

By fine tuning their navigation experience to align with shopping behaviors, PetSmart created a more rewarding experience. Users were able to find detailed pages with fewer clicks, making the shopping experience more efficient and pleasant. The site’s score for findability increased and in 2017, PetSmart ranked in the top 20 on the Foresee Experience Index for the first time. These results are proof that following information architecture best practices can cause positive impact.

There is no denying that in this age of Information why it is so important to focus on information architecture as a solid foundation for delivering the right information to your customers to make their lives easier.

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Works Cited

Science, E. I. (n.d.). PetSmart undergoes eCatalog overhaul, sees jump in experience index. PetSmart Undergoes eCatalog Overhaul, Sees Jump in Experience Index. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.earley.com/case-studies/petsmart-undergoes-ecatalog-overhaul-sees-jump-in-experience-index

Webster, C. (2020, July 1). Information and information architecture: The big picture. Smashing Magazine. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2020/07/information-architecture-big-picture/