the forest through the trees
First, and foremost, business requirements are defined and users are consulted to gain critical insight into what they need to accomplish their goals.
Using this information and looking at the overall user experience desired a structural strategy is developed that provides the foundation for designing the user experience.
Then, just as an architect develops a vision for what a building or space should look like, a structural vision for the experience is created. That vision is used as the basis for developing the plans (blueprints) for the experience.