Reference: which IA pattern to use, by business shape (decision matrix)
Created 2026-05-22
The practical decision matrix from §7 of Research brief: Information architecture for service businesses with multiple verticals (piece 6 of 15). Map the business shape to the IA pattern:
| Condition | Recommended pattern | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 dominant vertical (>70% revenue) | Unified message, single-vertical IA | Fragmentation taxes the brand without serving most buyers |
| 2-3 verticals, mostly shared services, small team | Hub-and-spoke — one page per vertical, shared-service blocks | Maintainable by 4-10-person team; SEO upside is real |
| 4+ verticals, distinct vocabulary/regulations | Per-vertical sections + shared services as separate nav node | Pays the per-vertical content tax to win per-vertical search and trust |
| 6+ verticals × 4+ services, dedicated marketing | Industry × service matrix (Dentons/Crowe pattern) | Enterprise tier; needs ongoing content investment |
| Verticals share SKUs, differ only in use-case | Product/service-led IA with vertical filters or tags | Mirrors how customers actually search |
| Multi-region + multi-vertical | Region-first OR vertical-first, NOT both as top-level | A 4×4 matrix in nav is unscannable; pick the dominant axis |
| New site, single-message → multi-vertical migration | Phase 1: vertical hub pages; Phase 2: spoke pages; Phase 3: shared service refactor | Reduces migration risk and preserves SEO equity |
| Buyer typically researches one vertical at a time | Mega menu with industry as primary axis | Surfaces the right entry without forcing self-identification fail |
| Buyer typically researches by problem, not industry | Service/problem-led nav, industries as content/proof | Fastenal pattern — works when product/service is the lead |
For Boucher & Jones specifically (regional Petro-Canada lubricant distributor, 4 dominant verticals, multi-region but Ontario-centric, advisory-led service): the recommended shape is per-vertical sections + shared services as separate nav node with industry as the primary axis. Implement as hub-and-spoke initially; promote to full matrix only if vertical-specific service depth grows. See Boucher & Jones IA recommendation: Pattern A + hub-and-spoke, NOT enterprise matrix for the specifics.