WebsitesModule 3: Plan the experienceLesson 8 of 15
Course progress47%
14 min lesson · Updated August 2026
How should a website be organised?
Website structure organizes information into understandable relationships, while navigation and links give people and search systems predictable routes through those relationships.
What you will learn
By the end, you will understand:
Create a sitemap from user mental models
Design clear global, local and contextual navigation
Use labels, breadcrumbs and internal links consistently
Visual explainer
See the idea clearly.
Audience tasks group content into a shallow sitemap; global navigation, local links, breadcrumbs and search provide multiple clear routes without orphan pages.
Information architecture makes things findable
Group and label content according to how intended users understand it, not only the company org chart. Research support questions, search terms, interviews and card-sorting where useful.
A sitemap is a model of page relationships, not automatically the visible menu.
Navigation has different roles
Type
Job
Global
Stable access to major site areas.
Local/section
Move within a service, course, catalog or topic.
Contextual
Connect relevant content inside the current page.
Breadcrumb
Show hierarchy/location and provide parent routes.
Utility
Account, search, language, help or legal actions.
Labels should predict destinations
Use familiar audience words
Distinguish sibling options
Avoid internal jargon
Keep the same label for the same route
Mark current state
Avoid vague “Learn more” lists
Do not hide essential links behind hover only
Test on small screens
Keep depth appropriate
Not every page must be one click from home. Important tasks should have short understandable routes, while a large catalog may require categories, filters and search.
Avoid deep chains created by arbitrary nesting. Cross-link related pages where it helps a real next step.
Search and filters complement navigation
Site search helps when people know what they want; filters narrow structured collections. They need clear labels, empty states, removable choices and keyboard/touch support.
Do not make search the only way to find core services or support.
Test wayfinding
01
Give a realistic task
02
Observe starting expectation
03
Watch route and backtracking
04
Ask where they think they are
05
Check alternate route
06
Record label/structure obstacle
07
Revise and retest
Real-world example
Example: customers do not understand departments
Example
A software company’s menu mirrors internal teams: Solutions, Enablement and Innovation. Testing shows customers look for Payroll, Scheduling and Support. The structure changes to task/product language while internal ownership stays behind the scenes.
Try this
Run a tree test
Write the hierarchy as plain text without visual design. Ask someone where they would find three real tasks and record first choice, backtracking and confusing labels.
Common questions
Questions beginners ask.
What is information architecture?
The organization, labeling and relationships that make information understandable and findable.
What is a sitemap?
A model/list of website pages and relationships; an XML sitemap is a separate search-engine discovery file.
What is global navigation?
The persistent routes to major areas of a site.
What are breadcrumbs?
A visible path showing hierarchy/location with links to parent levels.
How many menu items should there be?
No universal number; use a clear manageable set that represents major user needs.
Should navigation labels be creative?
Clarity usually matters more; distinctive wording is acceptable only when people can predict the destination.
What is an orphan page?
A page with no meaningful internal link path from the rest of the site.
Should mobile navigation contain fewer destinations?
It may present them differently, but do not remove essential routes or create a different information system without reason.
