Structure is a form of writing.

It is tempting to treat information architecture as a technical layer beneath a website — sitemaps, menus, page organisation. In practice, structure is a form of writing. The order of pages, the labels in the navigation, the sequence within a page — each is an editorial decision that shapes how a visitor understands the business.

A common mistake in professional service websites is to structure around the firm's org chart: services, industries, sectors, verticals. This is efficient for the firm, and confusing for the client. A better structure begins with the client's situation and the decision they are making.

For a corporate law practice, that might mean pages built around transactions, disputes, and governance — rather than around 'litigation' and 'corporate'. For an advisory firm, it might mean pages built around succession, growth, and ownership transitions — not around 'financial planning' and 'wealth management'.

The test for a piece of navigation is simple: does the label read like something the client would say out loud, or only something an insider at the firm would say? If it is the second, the label is doing work for the wrong audience.