Information Architecture
When building a web strategy, especially a site loaded with content, to be sure to plan the site’s information architecture. Major considerations to be made include:
- Knowing your users/visitors/customers
- Taking a full content inventory (current web, documents, future content)
- Organize pool of content (e.g. consolidate and remove duplication)
- Plan scheme (what goes together) and structure (and how it is mapped and linked on site)
This is just a high overview of some aspects of information architecture. Within this exists various methodologies for taking inventory, doing user surveys, organizing (e.g. card sorting, affinity diagramming…), prototyping, wireframing, flow charting and more.
Be sure whomever designs your site takes these things into consideration. If they don’t, you know who to contact.