Findability is the degree to which users can locate specific information or complete tasks within a website, app, or system. It's a core measure of good information architecture.
Navigation: Can users browse to find it? Search: Can users search to find it? Labels: Are labels clear and expected? Structure: Is the hierarchy logical?
Success rate: Percentage of users who find the item
Time to find: How long it takes Path efficiency: Direct path vs actual path Confidence: How sure users feel
Tree testing: Test navigation findability First-click testing: Where users click first Search analytics: What users search for Card sorting: Design for findability
❌ Buried content: 4+ clicks deep ❌ Unclear labels: Jargon or vague terms ❌ Wrong categorization: Items in unexpected places ❌ No search: Or poor search results ❌ Inconsistent: Same content in multiple places (or missing)
✅ Use card sorting to understand mental models ✅ Test with tree testing ✅ Shallow hierarchy (3 levels max ideal) ✅ Clear, user-friendly labels ✅ Multiple ways to find (navigation + search) ✅ Breadcrumbs showing current location
High findability = happy users = better conversions!
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