website structure and division? Who plans that?

Question

Hi,

I want to know, In an organization who handles planning of the website structure and function for every section? What are the Steps or Workflow?

I am sometime amaze with big sites that are well structure and is easy to access. As a freelance designer I have created some small sites but doesn't really need a big planning. The client just give me the section they need or they suggest then I give them how I would think divide them. I need some advice how to structure a website. Here are some of my question in my head:

1. How do you plan the navigation structure and divide the pages while keeping in mind that It's should be accessible and would fit to the design? (Is there a tips you can give?)

2. My problem sometimes, A client will give me a long and descriptive title for the a menu and wouldn't fit to design? how do you deal with that?

3. Is there a freelance person for this job? (you just give them the scenario and they will plan for that)

4. Some sites/book you can recommend worth reading?

Thank You!

Answer 1

Big sites as well as big projects in general don't get designed overnight in complete.

1. The architecture as well as appearance (navigation structure) grows and develops over time. There are many adjustments, reorganizations, improvement. Obsolete elements are taken offline. New pages are added. SEO adds a significant imprint on many sites as well.

2. You are free to adjust and reorganize the suggested structure to make it better. Talk to the customer, explain to him, provide arguments and evidence. Some will get it and agree with you, some will not. Each case is individual.

3. I'm not sure there is a special job title for that. It belongs to the developers or better to the analyst or architect (if present) to process the requirements, to analyze the use cases the customer has provided and turn them into the product design.

4. Lots of them. Not sure where to begin.