Distinctions, Relationships, and Patterns in IA

Another great, short article by Jorge Arango, defining 3 principles of Information Architecture.

1. Distinctions

• We want to help users understand the differences between the choices we present to them. We want to choose words that amplify differences and contrast between elements.

2. Relationships

• Concepts have meaning in context; like colors, how we choose to place them next to each other alters their meaning. We should strive to make the conceptual relationships clear by how we position our elements.

3. Patterns

• Our brains are thirsty for patterns. How we combine, group and position elements can help users understand concepts based on the patterns they identify.