​Information Architecture: How databases, site collections, security, information flow, are organized.

All SharePoint deployments have the goal of architecting an Information Architecture that enables data governance. However, to achieve that goal Information and data needs to be structured, classified, managed, and secured in ways appropriate for its importance and sensitivity.

SharePoint Information Architecture in Five Simple Steps:

1. Your Site Map Draft Concept is reviewed against a Site Classification Pyramid to clarify a governance plan for site type.
2. Next Partition your sites into Solution Boundaries based on site type and governance policies (storage requirements, management boundaries, information security).
3. Adapt this to SharePoint’s Containment Hierarchy, adhering to SharePoint architecture limits and best practices based on the classified solution boundaries.
4. Use SharePoint architectural components (explicit and wildcard managed paths) to ensure a Scalable Site Structure that allows for future growth and expansion. Use wildcard site-collections by default as these are super scalable. Adapt or customize SharePoint global menu and current menu to your navigation concept, to hide the solution boundaries.
5. Define your URL Scheme using host headers and managed paths.