Positioning establishes relationships among pieces of information. This must be done correctly, according to your perspective and usage.
We are very good at visual understanding. So, positioning helps us glance through and quickly figure out the order, the hierarchy, and other important aspects.
By using Zaprefy we discovered some of the most relevant criteria related to positioning: usage, frequency, domain, priority and actions to be performed.
The main Layer
The main Layer may be logically split into sections including the degree of use, the domains and the priorities.
The number of Elements on the main Layer should be kept below 20, and everything should be viewable in the height of one screen, when having sub-Layers, that are usually kept open, expanded and subsequent sub-Layers visually collapsed.
Layers
Layers, in general, should be positioned inside one another to be more and more specific. Layers that contain the source or base information, and are usually kept collapsed can be exempt from this recommendation.
Avoid having a Layer that contains multiple criteria. Instead, insert an intermediate Layer, containing the criteria.
Elements
Inside each Element, the most frequently used, important or newest information, should be placed first on a case by case basis.
It is recommended to limit the number of Elements in a Layer, to a number varying between 5 to 9, according to Miller's Law.
To achieve this, add more Structure to the information.
Content
Content offering a generalized description should be placed between the main Layer and its specific applicable Layers, as close as possible to the main Layer, but also should avoid including Layers or Elements that do not conform to it. However, feel free to place it closer to the main Layer, if you feel the visibility outweighs the drawbacks (like confusion).
For multiple contents, consider creating Elements with specific names like Documentation, Notes, Description, Presentation.
Conceptual barriers
As an intermediate information structuring stage, you can establish conceptual barriers comprised of an Element with or without Content. Here you can develop ideas or study materials.