Enterprise Information Architecture & Findability
Create an information foundation that makes enterprise content easier to organize, navigate and find.
Para executed a formal enterprise information architecture exercise covering discovery, content inventory, card sorting, user types, draft IA, user testing, technical IA, global content types, managed metadata, taxonomy, search and navigation.
Business challenge
- Enterprise content required a consistent structure and classification model.
- Navigation and search needed to reflect how users actually looked for information.
- Taxonomy and metadata needed governance so the information model could be maintained.
Para approach
- Run stakeholder and user discovery.
- Inventory and structure enterprise content.
- Use card sorting and user testing to validate findability.
- Define taxonomy, metadata and global content types.
- Design navigation, enterprise search and governance.
How it works
Validated information-architecture method and applied SharePoint implementation evidence. Evidence: initial IA design, project task records, intranet presentation and deployment documentation.
User Discovery
Content Inventory
Card Sorting / Testing
Taxonomy & Metadata
Navigation / Search
Governance
Delivered capability
Discovery & content inventory
Research into user needs, content and information structure.
Card sorting & user testing
Validation of navigation and findability with users.
Taxonomy & metadata
Managed terms and classification structures.
Global content types
Reusable enterprise content structures.
Search & navigation
Architecture for navigation and enterprise search.
Governance
Considerations for maintaining the information model over time.
Evidence-supported outcomes
Repeatable IA method
Created a reusable approach for enterprise information architecture.
Improved findability foundation
Established structures supporting navigation and search.
Controlled information model
Taxonomy, metadata and content models can be governed consistently.
Modernization readiness
The method can support current Microsoft 365, enterprise search and knowledge-readiness work after customer validation.
Technology & delivery context
Historical SharePoint intranet with managed metadata, global content types, search and navigation configuration. This is methodology and applied architecture evidence, not a software product.
Have a similar enterprise challenge?
Para can assess the current state, define the business and information model, shape the architecture and delivery approach, and move from business need into implementation and ongoing operations.