Category Taxonomy Flashcards
What are Categories?
Part of the product catalog hierarchy and mutually exclusive.
What are Filters?
Used to narrow down product lists within categories.
What are the most common major issues that drag down the overall performance when it comes to Category Taxonomy?
- Incorrectly implementing product subtypes as filters or categories. (This makes it impossible for users to, for example, “see all shoes” when shoe brands have been incorrectly implemented as categories instead of filters within the “Shoes” category)
- Dividing categories and subcategories into manageable chunks. (give users the control over the depth of scope they desire.)
- Funnelling users into curated scopes without the option to remove a filter leads to user confusion and potential backtracking, preventing them from seeing the full list of product options.
If the core issue is: The users spend too long evaluating products or overlook suitable items because the product types are categorized incorrectly. What would a good UX improvement?
Implement product types as filters instead of categories when most product attributes (e.g. “brand”, “size”, and “style” are the same across the product type.
One the other hand, implement product types as categories when most of the product attributes aren’t shared and therefore the product types are mutually exclusive.
if most things about a group of products are the same, like the brand, size, or style, it’s better to use filters to help people find what they’re looking for. But if the products are really different from each other, then it’s okay to put them in separate categories.
Why do some users abandon sites when viewing products with multiple shared attributes being implemented as categories?
- It’s too difficult to compare similar products across categories
- It’s assumed that a product is unavailable because a category in which users expected to find didn’t contain it.
What are the most common issues with products incorrectly implemented as categories?
- Brands: e.g separate subcategories for “Nike Running Shoes”, “New Balance Running Shoes”
- Styles: Eg, “Midi Dresses”, “Big & Tall Jackets”, “Mid-Century Modern”
- Product Subtypes: E.g., “Corner desks”, L-Shaped desks”, “Mirrorless Camera”
On an apparel site, what should happen when users click on a link for “Men’s Skinny Jeans”?
Users should be taken to a category list for Men > Jeans, with “Skinny Jeans” pre-applied as a filter
What is the main problem when users are faced with long lists of categories or subcategories while searching for products?
The core issue is that it becomes more challenging for users to select the category that is likely to have the appropriate products when they are presented with extensive lists of categories or subcategories.
What is the primary recommendation for organizing categories and subcategories to improve user experience?
The core advice is to limit the number of main categories to 10-15, ensure that there are no more than 10-15 subcategories under each main category, and avoid having subcategories that contain fewer than 10 products.
Why is the hierarchy of the product catalog, especially as shown in the main navigation, critical for users when first viewing how products are organized?
The product catalog’s hierarchy, as represented in the main navigation, provides users with their initial impression of product organization and categorization. It’s crucial, therefore, that users can effortlessly determine which subcategory is most likely to have the products they are interested in, without excessive effort.
What typically causes the main navigation to have an excessive number of categories or subcategories?
The presence of too many categories or subcategories in the main navigation is usually the result of overcategorization.
What are the two main issues that can arise from having too many categories or subcategories in the main navigation?
The two main issues include:
- Users may find it overwhelming to scan through an excessive number of categories or subcategories.
- Some subcategories might end up containing too few products, making them less useful for users.
When will users begin to feel overwhelmed with category options in the main navigation?
When there are 15-20 subcategory options
What is the main issue caused by users navigating to the wrong category during their search for products?
The core issue is that navigating to the incorrect category can delay the process of finding products and might even lead to users abandoning their search.
What is the primary advice to prevent users from navigating to the wrong category?
The core advice is to ensure that categories do not overlap with their sibling categories and that they are given unambiguous names to prevent confusion.
What challenges do users face when categories overlap, are redundant, or poorly defined, and how does it affect their perception of the site?
When categories overlap, are redundant, or poorly defined, users struggle to understand how the options differ and which one they should select. This confusion can significantly impact user confidence during testing, leading many participants to view the site as “unprofessional.” They often conclude that if such redundant categories are easily noticeable, the site design likely lacked the necessary care and attention.
Why should redundant and overlapping categories be avoided, and how should categories be organized to prevent confusion?
Redundant and overlapping categories must be avoided because they can confuse users, making it challenging to differentiate and select the appropriate category. Categories should be distinct and clearly delineated from their siblings, with ambiguous names avoided. Special attention should be paid to combined subcategories, like “Headphones & Accessories,” as they are prone to overlap with existing categories when the product catalog is updated. Sites with multiple levels and a large number of categories and subcategories have a higher risk of overlap and redundancy due to the complexity of managing them. Regular reviews of the category taxonomy are recommended to ensure the categorization schema remains logical. This process may involve removing some categories to implement them as filters instead or giving categories more descriptive names to enhance clarity.
How can product subcategories that fit into multiple main categories be effectively managed?
For product types that logically belong in more than one main category, such as a woman’s wallet fitting into both “Women’s” and “Accessories” categories, it makes sense to feature the same subcategory within multiple main categories. This approach ensures users can find the products they’re looking for, regardless of the main category they start from, enhancing the user experience by accommodating multiple logical paths to the same product type.
What is the risk if categories overlap, are redundant, or are poorly defined?
- Users will lose confidence in the site and deem it as ”unprofessional”
- Users will end up in irrelevant product lists
- Users will be forced to guess which category contains what they are looking for
What is the primary issue users face regarding the accessibility of accessories in product lists?
The core issue is that some users find it challenging to locate accessories for products due to their poor visibility, while others, who are not interested in accessories, encounter what is known as “accessory pollution” in product lists, where accessories clutter the list, detracting from their browsing experience.
What is the main recommendation for managing accessory products in online stores to improve user experience?
The primary advice is to create separate “Accessories” subcategories under the respective product categories whenever there is a significant number of accessory products. This approach should be applied consistently across all product categories. Furthermore, it’s recommended to provide users with tools to refine accessory product lists effectively, or better yet, avoid creating extensive lists of accessories in the first place. Generally, accessories should not be prominently displayed in the main category product list to prevent clutter and enhance the browsing experience for users uninterested in them.
How should online stores structure their catalogs to meet user expectations for finding accessories related to specific product themes?
To align with user expectations of locating accessories within a specific “theme,” online stores should include dedicated “Accessories” subcategories within the relevant high-level categories. This approach ensures that users can easily find accessories related to the main product types they are interested in. In situations where it doesn’t make semantic sense for accessories to be nested directly under a parent category, an alternative strategy is to consider crosslinking. This means providing links from the category users expect to be the parent to the accessories, facilitating intuitive navigation even when direct nesting isn’t logical or possible.
