How to Use JTBD & Top Tasks to Design User-Centric Website IA
A step-by-step guide to uncovering user goals and structuring navigation for maximum clarity and task completion.
Introduction: Lost in the Labyrinth?
We've all been there: clicking aimlessly through a website, trying to find a simple piece of information or complete a basic task, only to end up frustrated and ready to give up. Why does this happen so often? Too frequently, website Information Architecture (IA) – the way content is structured and navigated – reflects the company's internal departments or product lists, not the actual goals users are trying to achieve. It fails to prioritize the critical user goals, the 'Top Tasks' people visit the site to accomplish.
There's a better way. By applying the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework and focusing intently on user Top Tasks, you can create an IA that guides users intuitively towards achieving their goals, transforming frustration into satisfaction. This isn't just about rearranging menus; it's about fundamentally rethinking your website structure from the user's perspective – understanding the "job" they are hiring your website IA to do.
