Putting together good site architecture is an important and often neglected element of building a website. With so much energy and focus devoted to strategy, design and development, it’s a facet of the web process that is easy to forget.

Good architecture creates an intuitive browsing experience. With good architecture, you’ll know what content a site provides and you’ll have a clear idea of where you “are” within a site. When users complain that a site is confusing, it’s often because the architecture was inappropriate for the content on the site. They might not be able to put their finger on what’s wrong, but they’re likely complaining about the site’s architecture.

I like to frame this topic by comparing site architecture to the Dewey Decimal System. The Dewey system is used in libraries to organize a large amount of information in a way that’s easy for a library patron to browse. Every book exists in a place that is appropriately labeled and grouped. Libraries use this system to overcome the challenges of information organization: website architects can use a similar set of rules when thinking about organizing information for a site.

Over the years, I’ve compiled a list of handy tips to keep in mind when thinking about the site architecture.

• Top-level navigation should provide a structure that houses every page on the website. The Dewey system has ten major categories that characterize all of the nonfiction content of the library. Each category is supplemented by a number of subcategories. Books fall within these categories and subcategories.
• Navigation should be consistent. Do not, under any circumstances, change the site’s main navigation on a page by page basis.
• Navigation labels should be clear, concise, and should not overlap with another label. Be sure that your top-level navigation items have appropriate labels that fairly characterize all of the content in the section.
• Like information belongs together. Group content on your site by the type of information.
• Every piece of unique content should exist in exactly one place in the site’s architecture. A particular book has one place where it logically lives and copies are not repeated in multiple sections.
• Don’t confuse emphasis with architecture. Just because something is an important call-to-action on the site does not mean it belongs in your top-level navigation labels. Make sure that any piece of information that is important enough to reference from a high-impact area on the site can be found through a logical path that starts with the navigation.
• Don’t use your audiences as architecture. Many of your audience segments will have needs from the site which overlap with another audience. Using your audiences as architecture will either trigger the need to duplicate content or promise more information than the section actually provides.

Dynamit was honored as one of the “Best Places to Work” in 2010 & 2011 by Columbus Business First newspaper and Interactive Agency of the Year. Times are even better in 2012 and we’re hiring a Web/Graphic Designer for our aggressively growing team.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on cutting edge projects for well-known brands in a dynamic, entrepreneurial and highly creative environment. Please email resumes/cover letters and portfolio information (documents or links to online examples) to Gary Moneysmith via gmoney@dynamit.us.

A web/graphic designer on the Dynamit team will:

• Be well versed with Adobe Creative Suite: Strong knowledge of Photoshop, experience with Illustrator and InDesign.
• Have a strong understanding of Usability & Web Trends: Experience with user interface design, knowledge of best practices & examples of this in a portfolio or live site/application design. They will also be up-to-date on web trends and design tactics with examples.
• Have experience in user experience design (UXD) designing application and system interfaces. This experience is crucial for this position.
• Have Basic Programming Knowledge: We’re not looking for a developer here, but the designer should have the ability to design for web with a knowledge of the boundaries and how to design for execution by a programmer.
• Have a Strong Portfolio: We’d like to see much more web work than print.
• Be eager to learn, with a passion for design & the web. The designer should have a strong internal drive for industry knowledge and be committed to furthering the craft.

Experience is important, but personality is key. Our culture is what drives us, and we’re looking to build our team with someone who both fits and contributes to it.

The position is full time at our office in the Arena District in Columbus, Ohio. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package as well as a fun, high-energy, intellectually-stimulating work environment.

Benefits Include

• Competitive salary (compensation will be based on skills and experience)
• Fully paid medical/dental insurance for employees
• Paid parking
• Unlimited vacation time (within reason)
• Office bar + climbing wall — not recommended together

Don’t sit back. If you want to work in a fast paced work environment with great people who love what they do, apply today.

About Dynamit
Dynamit is a digital agency based in the Arena District in Columbus, Ohio. We work with clients and brands on digital initiatives that include strategy, design, user experience and development. We influence communication and commerce. Client work includes Hilton Worldwide, Charley's Grilled Subs, McGraw-Hill, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), E-Z-GO, American Electric Power (AEP), Columbus College of Art & Design and the Ohio State Medical Center (OSUMC) to name but a few.