UX Design

From Target Groups to Information Architecture: Developing Structure Together

For us, a sustainable website structure does not result from analysing existing content alone. It emerges through dialogue with the people who understand the organisation, its audiences, and its subject areas. That is why structured workshops—online or on site—are at the heart of our approach.

We begin with a target group analysis. Together, we identify who the website is for, why different audiences visit it, and which information and services are relevant to them.

This is particularly important for universities and research institutions. Prospective students, current students, researchers, employees, the media, funding organisations, and cooperation partners all have very different expectations of a website.

From the Bigger Picture to Individual Pages

In our workshops, we work with project stakeholders to develop practical solutions. We examine the website on several levels: we create the fundamental information architecture, organise and prioritise topics, and define effective navigation and access routes.

The result is a structure based on the needs of the target groups, rather than one that merely reflects the organisation’s internal structure.

We then move one level deeper. For central page types and selected individual pages, we determine how content should be structured, prioritised, and interconnected.

Which information needs to be visible first? Which content belongs together? Which related services or resources should be offered? Where are dedicated entry points or calls to action required?

We also consider the website’s functional requirements. Together, we define which features users need, such as search and filtering, event calendars, staff and research databases, contact options, or other interactive services.

We do not treat content, structure, and functionality as separate disciplines. We see them as interconnected elements of a consistent user experience.

Workshops That Deliver Concrete Results

Our workshops are practical working sessions. Their purpose is not simply to collect requirements or exchange opinions. Together, we develop tangible results, visualise proposed structures, discuss alternatives, and make transparent, well-founded decisions.

We then consolidate the results and transform them into a robust foundation for strategy, UX design, content development, and technical implementation.

We have used this approach to structure extensive and complex web content for organisations including Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), the University of Bremen, European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), Justus Liebig University Giessen, and the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI).

This is how websites emerge from the actual information needs of their target groups rather than from abstract organisational charts—with a clear overall structure, carefully designed pages, and functions that provide genuine value.

Our designs combine users’ established habits and specific needs with the standards of modern web aesthetics.

In our book Erfolgreiche Websites für öffentliche Einrichtungen (Successful Websites for Public Institutions), we share insights gained from 30 years of experience in web design.