Group products and buyer tasks into destinations
A menu is one expression of the architecture, rather than the entire structure. Search, breadcrumbs, collection links and page headings should describe compatible relationships. A visually attractive menu can still make products hard to find if the categories reflect internal teams instead of the way buyers distinguish their needs.
Illustrative catalog tree: Travel → Bags → Overnight bags, with a separate Travel → Accessories → Packing cubes branch. Give someone the cards “Canvas Weekender,” “Packing Cube Set” and “Replacement Strap,” and ask where each belongs and what label they expect to open. If everyone places the strap differently, decide whether it needs clearer naming, more than one useful route or a different grouping.
Test whether navigation labels predict the next page
A small sorting exercise is a design input, not proof that all customers share the same expectations. Categories also need to work with the catalog size, product data and accessibility of the actual navigation. One product can be discoverable through several appropriate routes.
Next, choose a few representative buyer tasks and ask people to predict a destination before opening it. Record the confusing labels, revise the tree and retest those same tasks without coaching the participant.
Website field guide · Plan a store catalog customers can navigate · Breadcrumb navigation
Reference: W3C WAI: page structure and navigation relationships; MDN: information architecture. Checked November 4, 2026.