Overview

Our FAQ module needed more than just a facelift — the whole structure was messy and hard to navigate. Users could create endless layers of subgroups, which turned finding anything into a guessing game. We decided to rebuild it as a proper Knowledge Base with a clear structure, better navigation, and a consistent experience across mobile, responsive web, and the admin portal.

The Problem

Research & insights

To establish a benchmark for best practices, I reviewed help centers from companies such as Lyft, Spotify, and Zendesk.

Key takeaways

• Keep the hierarchy concise: typically no more than 3 or 4 levels
• Make search functionality prominent and easily accessible.
• Use breadcrumbs and/or a sidebar index to help users stay oriented.

I also analyzed how our clients had organized their existing FAQs. Interestingly, most were already following a loose three‑level structure, even if unintentionally.

Solution

I proposed a clear, capped hierarchy:

1. Collections
2. Categories
3. Sections (optional)
4. Articles

This made it easier to communicate internally and provided a scalable structure for clients.

Design highlights:

• Fully responsive site for our web app
• Improved navigation: Breadcrumbs, persistent search, index navigation on responsive web.
• Better admin tools: Drag-and-drop reordering, inline actions, visual hierarchy.

Cross-platform implementation

Mobile & Responsive Web

The redesign established a consistent layout across both platforms, with a strong focus on usability and quick navigation.

• Search‑first layout: A prominent search bar helps users quickly locate information.
• Tile‑based previews for categories and articles: Improves scannability and visual structure.
• Horizontal ribbon navigation for collections: Makes browsing top‑level topics easier without overwhelming the interface.

The redesigned mobile experience introduced visually distinct hierarchy levels, making it easier for users to understand where they were within the Knowledge Base. Each level—collections, categories, sections, and articles—has its own clear visual treatment, avoiding the “everything looks the same” issue of the old FAQ. The new design also surfaces more information at a glance through tile previews that include article counts and short summaries, helping users quickly decide where to navigate without unnecessary drilling.

Web admin

The admin portal was redesigned for clarity, replacing the old nested table structure with a more organized, flexible layout.

• Accordion‑based hierarchy for clarity: Gives content managers a clear overview of structure at all levels.
• Drag‑and‑drop sorting: Makes reordering content intuitive and efficient.
• Context‑specific actions per level: Streamlines workflow by only showing relevant actions for collections, categories, sections, or articles.

Outcome

The redesigned knowledge base introduced a much simpler three‑level structure, which significantly improved both navigation and maintenance. Users could find relevant information faster, and admins could manage content without getting lost in overly complex hierarchies.

A more consistent UI across mobile, responsive web, and the admin portal created a unified experience on all devices. The shared design patterns meant users no longer had to relearn the interface when switching platforms, and content felt more cohesive.

Feedback from clients was very positive. Several described the new system as “much easier to use and manage”, and reported that the updated structure and clearer organization saved them time on both finding and maintaining information.