Information Architecture For SharePoint 2013 Office 365

Information architecture (IA) is the structural blueprint that determines how content is organized, labeled, navigated, and discovered within SharePoint and Microsoft 365. A well-designed IA reduces search time by up to 40%, improves user adoption, and prevents the "SharePoint sprawl" that plagues organizations lacking governance. Whether you are modernizing a legacy SharePoint 2013 environment or building a new Microsoft 365 intranet, getting the information architecture right from the start is the single most important factor in long-term platform success.

Core Principles of SharePoint Information Architecture

Effective SharePoint IA is built on foundational principles that transcend specific platform versions. These principles apply equally to SharePoint 2013 on-premises, SharePoint Online, and hybrid environments:

• Flat is better than deep – Limit site hierarchy to 2–3 levels maximum; deep nesting makes content difficult to find and manage. Use metadata and search to replace folder-based navigation
• Organize by function, not org chart – Structure sites around business processes (projects, departments, topics) rather than mirroring the organizational hierarchy, which changes frequently
• Metadata over folders – Use managed metadata (term store), content types, and site columns to classify content instead of deeply nested folder structures that become unmanageable
• Design for findability – Every piece of content should be discoverable within 3 clicks or a single search query; if users cannot find content, they will duplicate it or stop using SharePoint entirely
• Plan for governance – Define ownership, retention policies, access controls, and lifecycle management for every site, library, and content type before deployment

Site Structure and Hub Site Architecture

SharePoint Online introduced hub sites to replace the rigid site collection hierarchy of SharePoint 2013. Understanding both models is essential for organizations modernizing their environments:

• SharePoint 2013 model – Site collections contain top-level sites and subsites in a parent-child hierarchy; permissions, navigation, and content types inherit downward, making restructuring difficult
• Modern hub site model – Flat site collections associate with hub sites for shared navigation, search scope, and visual consistency without rigid parent-child dependencies; sites can be re-associated to different hubs easily
• Communication sites – Use for broadcasting information to broad audiences (company news, policies, department home pages); designed for consumption rather than collaboration
• Team sites – Use for active collaboration within departments, projects, or workgroups; connected to Microsoft 365 Groups for integrated Teams, Planner, and shared mailbox
• Hub site categories – EPC Group recommends organizing hubs by functional area: Corporate Communications, Departments, Projects/Programs, and Knowledge Management

Managed Metadata and Taxonomy Design

The term store is the backbone of enterprise-grade SharePoint IA. A well-designed taxonomy enables consistent tagging, faceted search, and dynamic content aggregation across sites:

• Term store hierarchy – Organize terms into Groups > Term Sets > Terms with a maximum of 4 levels; deeper hierarchies reduce usability and adoption
• Global vs. local term sets – Use global term sets for enterprise-wide classifications (Department, Document Type, Region) and local term sets for team-specific taxonomies
• Enterprise keywords – Allow users to add freeform tags alongside managed terms to capture emerging vocabulary that can later be promoted to managed terms
• Content types – Define reusable content types (Policy Document, Project Charter, Meeting Minutes) with associated metadata columns, workflows, and retention policies
• Metadata navigation – Configure library settings to enable metadata-based navigation panels that let users filter documents by any tagged column without opening search

Navigation Design Best Practices

Navigation is the user-facing manifestation of your information architecture. Poor navigation is the primary reason users abandon SharePoint:

• Global navigation – Hub site navigation provides consistent top-level links across all associated sites; limit to 7–10 items with clear, action-oriented labels
• Local navigation – Site-level left navigation for context-specific links; keep to 10–15 items maximum with logical grouping using headers
• Mega menus – Modern SharePoint supports mega menu layouts for hub navigation, allowing categorized link groups with descriptions—ideal for large intranets
• Audience targeting – Show different navigation items to different audiences (by department, role, or location) using Azure AD security groups and audience targeting features
• Search-first design – Complement navigation with a prominent search box, customized search verticals, and search-driven web parts that surface relevant content dynamically

Migrating from SharePoint 2013 to Modern SharePoint Online

Organizations still running SharePoint 2013 face end-of-support challenges and must plan their migration to SharePoint Online. The IA modernization process includes:

• Content audit – Inventory all sites, libraries, lists, and content types; identify inactive content (no views in 12+ months) for archival or deletion
• IA gap analysis – Compare current 2013 site structure against modern IA best practices; identify subsites that should become independent team sites associated with hubs
• Metadata cleanup – Rationalize term store entries, merge duplicates, and align taxonomy with current business terminology before migration
• Custom solution remediation – Identify SharePoint 2013 farm solutions, sandboxed solutions, and InfoPath forms that require replacement with Power Platform or SPFx alternatives
• Phased migration – Migrate department by department using SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) or third-party tools, validating IA and permissions at each phase

Why Choose EPC Group for SharePoint Information Architecture

EPC Group has 28+ years of SharePoint consulting experience, including information architecture design for enterprises with 50,000+ users. As a Microsoft Gold Partner and the author of 4 bestselling Microsoft Press books—including comprehensive guides on SharePoint governance and architecture—we bring deep expertise in taxonomy design, hub site planning, migration strategy, and governance frameworks. Our IA engagements have reduced content search times by 40% and increased SharePoint adoption rates by 60% for Fortune 500 organizations across healthcare, financial services, and government.

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