A Navaratri Golu is more than a collection of dolls arranged across steps. The display brings together different themes, stories, and objects in a structure that helps visitors explore and understand what they see.

There's a valuable UX lesson hidden in that arrangement.

It's called Information Architecture (IA).

A Golu is organised for discovery

Look closely at a Golu display.

The steps create order. Figures are grouped by theme. Individual objects have a place within a larger story. The arrangement helps visitors make sense of the display instead of encountering a random collection of objects.

Digital products need the same kind of thought.

Imagine opening an e-commerce website where clothing, payments, returns, and account settings are scattered randomly across the experience. The information may exist, but finding it becomes unnecessarily difficult.

Sometimes, the problem isn't the visual interface. It's the information architecture underneath it.

What is Information Architecture?

Information Architecture is the way information is organised, structured, labelled, and connected so people can find what they need.

Think of it as five practical activities:

  • Organise: Put information into a meaningful structure.
  • Group: Bring related content together.
  • Label: Use words people understand.
  • Connect: Show relationships between related items.
  • Discover: Help people find the information or action they're looking for.

Good IA makes complex products easier to understand and navigate.

1. Group information with purpose

A well-arranged Golu groups objects in ways that help visitors understand the display.

An e-commerce product should do the same.

Instead of scattering order details across different sections, group them around the user's task:

Orders → Order history → Track order

Likewise, clothing can be organised into meaningful categories:

Clothing → Men → Shirts

The important question isn't simply how your internal team wants to organise information. It's how users expect to find it.

2. Use labels people understand

Imagine approaching a Golu display without knowing what you're looking at. Clear groupings and descriptions would help you explore it.

Digital products also depend on understandable labels.

Labels such as “Solutions,” “Resources,” or “Other” may be too vague when users don't know what they contain.

Use familiar language that reflects the user's expectations.

Clear labels mean less guessing.

3. Make the next step obvious

A well-organised display invites exploration. A well-structured product should do the same.

Users should be able to answer:

  • Where am I?
  • What belongs here?
  • Where can I go next?
  • How do I get back?

Navigation isn't just a menu. It's how people find their way through a product.

4. Test the structure with real users

A structure that makes sense to its creator may not make sense to everyone else.

Before finalising your information architecture, ask:

  • Is the content grouped logically?
  • Do categories reflect user needs?
  • Are labels clear and familiar?
  • Are related items connected?
  • Can users predict where information lives?
  • Can they find important content without unnecessary effort?

Try this with a product you use every day. List its main sections, group related content, review the category names, and trace how you'd complete an important task. Notice where you hesitate or get lost, then test your assumptions with users.

The big takeaway

A Golu reminds us that arrangement shapes how people explore and understand what they see.

Information Architecture applies that same idea to digital experiences.

The best structure isn't necessarily the neatest one. It's the one that makes sense to the people using it.

Organise for people, not just for appearance.

UX Crumbs helps designers turn complex UX concepts into practical lessons, one small step at a time.

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