Improving 2Ia Org Top Navigation And Page Briefs - Source Excerpt 02 - Recommended default navigation
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Summary
This source excerpt begins near Recommended default navigation and preserves the surrounding evidence from 2IA.org/agent-file-handoff/Archive/2026-05-18-top-navigation-density-public-copy/Improvement/Improving 2IA.org Top Navigation and Page Briefs.md.
**Source path:** 2IA.org/agent-file-handoff/Archive/2026-05-18-top-navigation-density-public-copy/Improvement/Improving 2IA.org Top Navigation and Page Briefs.md
The hybrid model is the strongest default because it borrows the right things from each comparator without copying any one site wholesale: EFF’s issue/tool/action separation, ACLU’s issue-to-action logic, EPIC’s issue taxonomy and library depth, Freedom of the Press Foundation’s reporting-plus-tools mix, Open Rights Group’s clean segmentation, and Bellingcat’s investigations/resources split. It also matches 2IA’s own internal strategy documents, which already call for four durable content layers and a dedicated Organizations vertical. citeturn8view0turn0search2turn8view1turn8view2turn7view4turn8view3 fileciteturn0file14 fileciteturn0file6
## Recommended default navigation
The recommended primary navigation should be ordered to reflect how mixed audiences actually arrive: first they need orientation, then topic discovery, then current reporting, then practical help, then a differentiating directory layer, then trust/governance, then institutional context, and finally a support path. Home should be handled by the site wordmark/logo, not by consuming a scarce header slot. The search control should stay persistent because the site already has a briefing-search overlay and a research/archive mentality that benefits from search-led navigation. citeturn1view0turn2view1
| Order | Label | Suggested slug | Why it belongs in primary nav | Route note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start Here | `/start-here/` | Best first stop for new readers, journalists, and the informed public | Keep existing route |
| 2 | Issues | `/issues/` | Evergreen topical discovery and strongest long-tail landing page | New landing page linking to existing issue hubs |
| 3 | Research | `/research/` | Clearer, more active label than “Research Archive” | Prefer `/research/`; 301 from `/research-archive/` |
| 4 | Resources | `/resources/` | Practical, lawful utility surface for templates, guides, glossary, and downloads | New landing page |
| 5 | Organizations | `/organizations/` | Distinctive directory layer and strong future SEO moat | New landing page; profile URLs can use `/org/{slug}/` or `/organizations/{slug}/` |
| 6 | Methodology | `/methodology/` | Core trust page; especially important for a claims-led research site | Keep existing route |
| 7 | About | `/about/` | Institutional context, independence, governance, and scope | Keep existing route |
| 8 | Support | `/support/` | Persistent conversion path; should be styled as a button | Keep existing route |
A practical desktop rule is: **seven text links plus one button-style CTA**. If header space becomes too tight, the safest page to demote from the primary nav is **About**, moving it into the utility bar while keeping **Methodology** in the main header. That preserves trust while protecting discovery and utility.
The secondary navigation/footer should carry: **Public Records and FOIA**, **Corrections and Right of Reply**, **Newsletter**, **Volunteer**, **Contact**, **Lawful Contact**, and **Privacy Policy**. Those pages are important, but they answer narrower questions and work best as contextual modules from relevant pages rather than as co-equal primary navigation items. For example, Public Records belongs inside **Resources** and in issue-hub sidebars, while Corrections belongs in **Research** and **Methodology**. citeturn9view0turn9view1turn9view2turn10view0turn10view1turn10view2
One more navigation change is worth making immediately: rename the primary label **Research Archive** to **Research**. The archive page already describes a living system of investigations, guides, toolkits, analyses, and updates; “Research” is easier to scan, easier to translate, and less internal-sounding. If the route changes, Google’s guidance on site moves and simple URL structures supports using clear mappings and redirects rather than leaving legacy labels in place indefinitely. citeturn2view1turn11search4turn11search8
## Page briefs and template matrix
The architecture below assumes WordPress block templates and reusable patterns, not hard-coded one-off layouts. It also assumes translation-ready strings, short labels, and modular sections that can be reused across language versions. That is consistent with WordPress documentation on block themes, templates, patterns, and internationalization, and with the multilingual or multilingual-adjacent approaches visible on Bellingcat, Access Now, and EFF’s major resource surfaces. citeturn6search0turn6search16turn6search4turn6search1turn8view3turn5search7turn4search12
2IA’s internal research also supports this shift. Its reports argue for four durable content layers, a dedicated Organizations vertical, and more practical utility around search/filtering, provenance, multilingual support, and reusable resources instead of slogan-heavy pages alone. fileciteturn0file14 fileciteturn0file6 fileciteturn0file17
### Page architecture and metadata
| Page | Brief | Suggested template | Key sections or modules | Recommended metadata |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Start Here** | New to 2IA? This page should convert uncertainty into a clear next step: understand a system, request records, challenge a harmful flag, protect anonymity, or browse trusted organizations. It should answer “what is this site for me?” in under 30 seconds. | **Orientation landing page** with path cards | Hero; “Choose your path” cards by intent; what 2IA covers; what 2IA will not publish; best first reads; featured resources; latest research; compact support CTA | **Title:** Start Here \| How to Use 2IA<br>**Meta:** New to 2IA? Choose the right path for surveillance, public records, AI flags, anonymity, and civil-liberties research—lawful, clear, and practical.<br>**H1:** Start Here |
| **Issues** | This is the permanent issue map. It should explain the main beats 2IA covers, show why each matters, and link each issue to research, resources, and organizations working in that space. | **CollectionPage topic hub** | Hero; issue map; featured issue cards; “why this matters now” summaries; linked case studies; linked resources; related organizations; FAQ | **Title:** Issues \| Surveillance, Records, AI, and Civil Liberties<br>**Meta:** Explore 2IA’s core issues: surveillance systems, metadata, AI, anonymity, public records, and due process, with plain-language summaries and next steps.<br>**H1:** Issues |
| **Research** | Research is the living newsroom and archive. It should surface investigations, case studies, and analysis with filters, confidence labels, and visible update/correction paths. | **Archive / newsroom index** | Hero; latest investigations; case studies; policy analyses; search/filter bar; topic chips; corrected/updated badges; right-of-reply note; newsletter CTA | **Title:** Research \| Investigations, Case Studies, and Analysis<br>**Meta:** Read 2IA investigations, case studies, and policy analysis on surveillance, digital rights, public records, and public-interest accountability.<br>**H1:** Research |
| **Resources** | Resources is where readers leave with something useful, not just informed. It should collect FOIA packs, checklists, glossaries, FAQs, and downloadables that are lawful, non-operational, and easy to reuse. | **Toolkit/library landing page** | Hero; quick-action tiles; FOIA and records templates; glossary; explainers; downloadable PDFs; “safest first steps”; FAQ; language/download selector | **Title:** Resources \| Guides, FOIA Templates, and Explainers<br>**Meta:** Find practical, non-operational resources: FOIA guides, downloadable templates, glossaries, checklists, and explainers for public-interest research.<br>**H1:** Resources |
| **Organizations** | This is 2IA’s clearest differentiator. It should provide a searchable, verified directory of civil-liberties, digital-rights, journalism, and public-interest research groups, starting with official organizations and only later adding carefully contextualized historical profiles. | **Directory/search landing page** backed by a custom post type or taxonomies | Hero; filter/search bar; featured organizations; directory cards; “how we select profiles” note; update cadence; submit correction/report broken link CTA; region/issue filters | **Title:** Organizations \| Directory of Civil Liberties and Public-Interest Groups<br>**Meta:** Browse a verified directory of civil-liberties, digital-rights, journalism, and public-interest research organizations, with official links and concise profiles.<br>**H1:** Organizations Directory |