Information structure types

Question 1

Hierarchical Information Structure

Answer 1

Tree-like structure with elements organised in: main level, secondary level and child pages.

It starts always from a “home page”.
The hierarchical model of website structure is one of the most popular and easiest ways to display information flows. We can easily find it in online portfolios, educational apps and small e-commerce.

Question 2

Matrix Information Structure

Answer 2

Designing elements in two or more dimensions. We will have a navigation taking different user needs into account. For example, an e-commerce product catalog, in which the sorting of a single list of products must be provided according to different parameters.
For users, it is hard to process and visualise information in four or more dimensions. A matrix structure with more than three dimensions can create navigation problems.

Question 3

Organic Information Structure

Answer 3

Structure elements are not logically related. Users feel like they are researchers. Organic structure does not have the principles of content cataloging, and it can only be implemented in conditions when the links between the content are not established. 

Examples of that structure would be Spotify or Netflix.This is creating the user experience effect, commonly known as “The rabbit whole”.