Case Study - Mapping arduino.cc
In the User Experience Design program at Kent State, we were required to analyze the Information Architecture of the Arduino.com website in order to better understand the site’s organization as well as blockers for those who use the site. Mapping information Architecture is key to understanding the existing structure of a website and possible improvements to site organization. Changes to page structure, page hierarchy / location, as well as navigation labels can impact a user’s ability to easily navigate a website. During this exercise we created a site map and illustrated recommended changes to improve the site. In order to effectively map and analyze the arduino.cc site, I systematically navigated each page and recorded all page connections (to and from pages). Additionally, all navigation elements, links and navigation buttons, were noted. Once all pages had been analyzed, a site map was built out to illustrate how the site functions in its current state and recommendations for improvement were provided.
Findings
The most prolific issue with arduino.cc is the site’s reliance on a too many subdomains. Not only does this fragmented approach to hierarchy cause confusion for users as they navigate the site, it also has led to some of the areas of the website taking on a completely different look and feel. New site users will need to deeply explore the site in order to understand where they are on the site as its appearance and URL changes. Ultimately users are on the same site, but the frequent inconsistencies cause confusion and prevent easy site navigation.
The Primary Global Navigation has several pages that are actually labels / buttons that open dropdowns. These should not appear as pages in the navigation as it is misleading for users and may cause confusion. Software, Resources, Community, and Help all appear to be pages; however, when clicked they open a dropdown of selectable options.
There are too many pages with the same or similar names. Contact us has at least 3 variations across the site with different locations and URLs. Tutorials also has at least 3 different pages on the site. Having too many duplicate page titles make the site confusing and complex because there is no one source for users to seek information.
Some pages in the store cannot be accessed unless a user navigates to one of the sub pages, under the page, and then uses the breadcrumbs to access the parent page. In the store, the Arduino page is only accessible if users utilize the breadcrumbs to click into the Arduino page. The same is true for the Components page, users can only access it if they use the breadcrumbs.
Finally, the site hierarchy differs from the navigation schema drastically, making it difficult for users to understand how different areas of the site are related. This is readily apparent in the store because the Secondary Navigation items appear to be in a hierarchy, but are actually a mix of horizontal and vertical links. If the site had a more solid underlying architecture, then the website navigation could more easily match users' conceptual models.
Recommendations
Create a standard Global Navigation and Style Guide that is used across the entire site. This will show consistency to users and help them better understand where they are as they navigate about the site.
Use fewer subdomains for links on the site. Subdomains are useful for helping users quickly get to certain ares of a website when they are not on the site, but are confusing when overused or used incorrectly.
Do not use labels in Primary Navigation Systems. Make sure that all items listed in the Primary Navigation are pages that have content associated with them.
Reorganize site pages and content so there is a clearly defined hierarchy. This could help users better understand the store because the pages would be in the same order as the navigation. When a user's conceptual model matches the site hierarchy it makes navigating the site more intuitive.
Perform a complete audit of site pages, content and naming conventions. This will help us better understand content structure and where information can be consolidated and labels and links can be updated to make navigation easier across different subdomains. In some cases subdomains should be removed and the data consolidated into one larger hierarchy.
