IA
Taxonomy Design
A practical information architecture method for creating clear, scalable structures that organise content in ways users can actually navigate.
How to use taxonomy design to create categories, relationships, and naming systems that make content easier to organise, scale, and find.
Quick take
If your content is messy or hard to navigate, fix the structure with taxonomy design.
Related Services
What it is
glossaryTaxonomyTaxonomy is the system used to classify and organise content into structured categories. It defines how content is grouped, named, and related within a product or system.Open glossary term design is the glossaryProcessA process is a defined sequence of steps used to achieve a specific outcome.Open glossary term of organising content, products, or information into a clear, logical structure.
It defines how things are grouped, labelled, and related to each other across a glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term.
This includes categories, subcategories, tags, filters, and naming conventions.
Unlike card sorting or testing methods, glossaryTaxonomyTaxonomy is the system used to classify and organise content into structured categories. It defines how content is grouped, named, and related within a product or system.Open glossary term design is about creating the structure itself, often informed by serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service and glossaryDataData is raw information collected and stored for analysis, processing, or decision-making.Open glossary term.
The goal is to create a glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term that is easy to navigate, scalable, and aligned with how users think.
Taxonomy design is most useful when the problem is not just confusing labels or broken paths, but the lack of a coherent structure underneath the whole system.
When to use it
Use this method when structure and organisation are critical.
It is most useful when:
It is less useful when:
Taxonomy design is often informed by card sorting, tree testing, and analytics.
Key takeaway
Use taxonomy design when you need to create a durable structure that can support navigation, labelling, search, and growth across the whole system.
How to run it
Set up properly.
Before you start, be clear on what content or items need to be organised, what user goals and glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term are, and what glossaryConstraintsConstraints are limitations or restrictions that impact how a product or solution can be designed or built.Open glossary term exist.
Gather serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service and glossaryDataData is raw information collected and stored for analysis, processing, or decision-making.Open glossary term to inform decisions.
Run the method.
glossaryTaxonomyTaxonomy is the system used to classify and organise content into structured categories. It defines how content is grouped, named, and related within a product or system.Open glossary term design is structured and iterative.
Audit existing content or structure. Group items into logical categories. Define glossaryHierarchyHierarchy is the organisation of elements to show importance and guide user attention.Open glossary term and relationships. Create clear, consistent labels. Test and refine the structure.
Focus on simplicity and glossaryScalabilityScalability is the ability of a system to handle increased demand without losing performance.Open glossary term.
Capture and make sense of it.
The value comes from creating glossaryClarityClarity is how easily users can understand what is happening and what they need to do.Open glossary term.
Look across the structure to ensure categories make sense to users, glossaryHierarchyHierarchy is the organisation of elements to show importance and guide user attention.Open glossary term is logical and intuitive, labels are clear and consistent, and the glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term can scale over time.
Refine based on testing and glossaryFeedbackFeedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.Open glossary term.
What to look for
Focus on:
Where it goes wrong
Most issues come from:
If the structure doesn’t match user thinking, it will fail.
What you get from it
Done properly, this method gives you:
Key takeaway
It helps you organise things in a way that actually works.
Get in touch
If this sounds like something you need, we can help you organise your content so it’s simple, scalable, and easy to navigate.
No guesswork. No assumptions. Just structure that works.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this method.
What is taxonomy design in UX?
It is the glossaryProcessA process is a defined sequence of steps used to achieve a specific outcome.Open glossary term of organising content into structured categories and relationships.
When should you use taxonomy design?
Use it when building or improving serviceInformation ArchitectureImprove navigation, content structure, and findability so users can understand where things are and how to move through them.Open service and glossaryNavigationHow users move around a website or product.Open glossary term.
How is it different from card sorting?
Card sorting informs structure, while glossaryTaxonomyTaxonomy is the system used to classify and organise content into structured categories. It defines how content is grouped, named, and related within a product or system.Open glossary term design creates it.
What does a taxonomy include?
Categories, subcategories, tags, filters, and naming conventions.
Does taxonomy design improve UX?
Yes. It makes content easier to find and navigate.