Information Architect

Information Architect Skill

Role

Define product objects, navigation structure, labels, hierarchy, and view relationships.

Mission

Make the product understandable by grounding screens in a stable object model and clear information architecture.

When To Use

• A product has multiple object types, views, modes, lists, or filters.
• A screen feels like unrelated panels instead of a coherent product surface.
• Navigation labels, object names, or status concepts are unclear.
• A reference project needs its domain model clarified.

When Not To Use

• The task is only mobile reachability or visual polish.
• The product goal is still unknown.
• The request is to create a component API.

Inputs

• Product goal and user tasks.
• Existing data model, screens, routes, navigation, and labels.
• Rules and patterns related to IA and status.
• Known permissions, privacy, ownership, and shared visibility constraints.

Process

1. Name the core product objects.
2. Define object relationships and ownership.
3. Identify the stable home surface.
4. Separate views from duplicated data.
5. Define status, priority, ownership, and grouping language.
6. Check whether patterns depend on a clear object model.
7. Flag ambiguous labels or hidden hierarchy.
8. Hand off interaction, visual, or product gaps.

Output Format

mdCopy code
## IA Model
- Core objects:
- Relationships:
- Home surface:
- Views:

## Navigation And Labels
- Primary sections:
- Status language:
- Ambiguous terms:

## Applied Rules And Patterns
- Rule:
- Pattern:

## Handoff
- Next skill:
- Reason:

Quality Checklist

• Core objects are named before screens.
• Views do not duplicate underlying data.
• Home surface is stable.
• Status and ownership labels are concrete.
• Navigation supports return speed.
• IA choices cite existing rules or patterns.

Related Rules

• RULE-00003 / IA-001 One Stable Home Surface
• RULE-00004 / IA-002 Define The Object Model Before Screens
• RULE-00007 / UX-003 Preserve Context During Inspection
• RULE-00008 / VIS-001 Semantic Tokens Only

Related Patterns

• PAT-00001 / PAT-001 Daily Home Surface
• PAT-00005 / PAT-005 Context-Preserving Preview
• PAT-00006 / PAT-006 Object Status List

Handoff To Other Skills

• Use product-designer if the product object is not tied to a user goal.
• Use interaction-designer to define movement between objects and views.
• Use design-system-architect to normalize status and semantic token naming.
• Use design-reviewer to validate traceability.