Besides organization, the other IA element we're concentrating on is labelling - the specific words we use in our headings.

When we run a tree test, we are seeing the interaction of these two factors:

OrganizationIf a user can't navigate down to the right heading, it doesn't matter how hard we worked to make that heading clear.
LabellingIf a user doesn't understand a certain heading, they're unlikely to click on it to see its subheadings

 

Some labels are dead easy to create, while others seem to get harder the more we tinker with them. What is it that makes one label better than another?

Below are some principles and tips to help you create effective headings.

Speak the user's language

Make headings clear

Make headings distinguishable

Use specific, concrete terms

Make headings scannable

Balance brevity with clarity 

Combine entangled topics

 

For more on this, check out ~web or book link.

 


Next: Team-sourcing ideas