Xd Ideas — An example of great information architecture
Xd Ideas: Its site and content structure makes it easy and enjoyable to follow
Content creators and UX designers face 3 problems. One, most digital product users are suffering information overload. Two, digital product users are impatient — they want to find what they need quickly and easily. Three, as creator, you still want to share lots of content.
Despite great content
Many sites aren’t followed despite their great content. That’s very unfortunate. A lot of time and talent that goes into creating and displaying their content is wasted. And despite best intentions and careful thought on content, most sites look like information dump sites. They’re hard to follow.
For example
As a budding UX designer, I am overwhelmed by the websites, blogs, and various forms of content out there on literally every topic on UX. I recently visited a blog of a company I really respect. They have written a lot about UX. Random pieces. In no order. This is “normal”, really — everyone does it. I don’t visit their site anymore, unfortunately. Because my mind runs in different directions when I land there. Which is counterproductive.
But not Xd Ideas
The blog by Adobe maintained for designers, Xd Ideas, has this structure.
It makes it much easier to get what I want. Even when I don’t know what I’m looking for. It gets even better when you hover over each item.
I hovered over Process and clicked “Prototyping”. This is what I got.
The structure of Xd Ideas is so easy and followable that it is actually enjoyable. You can even use it as a course. I have a scheduled daily task on my calendar: Read Xd Ideas.
It’s a mind journey
Content is about taking the reader through a mind journey. In the physical world, we have roads, paths, passenger walks, and signs.
Our minds are conditioned to be directed. If you found yourself in the middle of a forest, you wouldn’t know where to go. Because there are no clear footpaths.
Most content sites are like forests. Everything jumbled together. It’s an implied “figure it out and find what you need” to the user — even though this implication is never intended by content creators.
Consuming content, too, is a mind journey. If you’re creating resources for a user, make them feel like it’s for them, not at them. Take them on a journey through the content you’re creating / sharing.
For example
As a designer, when I visit a site I want knowledge on process, or principles, or perspectives. The Xd Ideas structure already shows me where to go. It’s like coming to a complex building and finding the key doors are marked — what a delight!
Something as simple as structure can be a complete game changer in content. The Xd Ideas site takes blogging to a whole new level where it’s not just a blog — it’s a resource. In the images I shared above, you’ll see my point. When you hover over the Process option, it lists things you can do in design, one being prototyping. Clicking it takes you to a page. And the first thing you see is:
Someone thought, before I share articles about prototyping, let me define it for the user — not in an article. Cool!
Then they share some resources to help you understand prototyping better.
Once you have understood what prototyping is, you naturally ask yourself what’s its purpose? And that’s what they give you next.
What follows? More resources about prototyping — dos, then don’ts, then practices. In that order. Please visit the site to experience it yourself, and to see what follows.
When I scroll Xd Ideas, I feel like someone is taking the effort to walk me through something. Step by step. I don’t feel like I’m in a forest; I feel like I’m on a well made road with signs and gentle corners.
What’s the lesson here?
Whenever you’re designing, or creating content, structure your app site, and content in a way that walks the user step by step through it all. Remember, our minds are conditioned to be directed. If I have to try figure it out, you’ll lose me along the way.
It’s hard work. Organizing stuff for people isn’t easy. It takes lots of thinking, lots of experimenting, and lots of iteration. That’s why it’s called DESIGN. Behind every great design is a team of people who work very hard to make stuff simple and enjoyable.
Why it matters
Remember my statement about the 3 problems content creators and designers face? Let me say it again.
Content creators and UX designers face 3 problems. One, most digital product users are suffering information overload. Two, digital product users are impatient — they want to find what they need quickly and easily. Three, as creator, you still want to share lots of content.
The minds of digital product users are highly distracted. The solution? Steward them to great resources. You may have very valuable content, but if the experience of accessing it is bad, the content will be worth nothing because people won’t find it. If the experience is enjoyable, they will come and come again. And they will schedule regular visits (like I have with Xd Ideas)!
Next week I’ll do an audit of the IA of Apple’s website. Let’s meet then for some inspiration. Cheers!
