Information Architecture

I compared hp.com and sony.com. HP used "C" navigation setup: with information vertical on the left hand side, a top bar, and a bottom bar. Sony used a hamburger navigation setup (which is not the right term, but was the only thing I could come up with to describe it): there is a top bar, a bottom bar, and picture links in the middle.

HP used three major categories for the top bar: products and services, explore and create, and support and drivers. The vertical information changed with the top bar tabs when the mouse hovered over the top bar categories. Vertical links had to do with topics on the top bar, such as products and services there were laptops and printers listed vertically. The bottom had company information, resources, and customer support. The middle section of the "C," had advertisements: sale information, memory upgrade, 20" monitors, etc.

Sony has seven categories on their top bar: register, shop, electronics, PlayStation, online games, music and movies, and service and support. The top bar used floating menus when the mouse hovered over the categories. Under the top bar is an advertisement for Sony's new VAIO colored laptops. Under the advertisement is four categories: see, hear, play, and shop. The see category is movies, hear is music, play is video games, and shop is all Sony products. As you can see, those categories are repeats of what is on the top bar, but another place for consumers to find that information. Index site, FAQ, terms/privacy, investor relations, and corporate information is located on the bottom bar.

These two computer websites have basically the same information, so consumers can find whatever they are looking for. HP has an easier time displaying all their information because they have less products. They have printers, computers, accessories, and some software. Sony has a lot more information to disperse. They have movies, music, gaming systems, video games, computers, cameras, accessories, and so forth. I think both these websites have easy navigation and if you need to find something it is under the category names that make the most sense.