top 10 rules of info architecture

[maelorin]

Top 10 Rules of IA

adillon February 21, 2006

After 5 years of writing a column on information architecture for BASIST I summed up my take on the field in ten simple ‘rules’ (I use the term loosely).

1. No, we never did define it to everyone’s satisfaction.

2. Communities matter more.

3. There will be something else after blogs, wikis and memes.

4. Understanding people’s needs for information is a thorny problem.

5. A profession is not defined solely by financial concerns.

6. Findability is not a sufficient basis for architecture.

7. Usability is a design value, not a field.

8. Data is stored: Information is experienced.

9. Most of the world is still not able to have this experience.

10. We’re still figuring this out, so don’t stop trying to shape it.

Obviously these need to be interpreted in the context of an emerging set of concerns but here they are for the record. I had a great time with that column but it was time for fresh perspectives and I hate to write on a fixed schedule. You can access the past columns on my own publications page: www.ischool.utexas.edu/~adillon/publications.html

Comments

[reverancepavane.livejournal.com]

When it comes to Information Architecture one of the best think-tanks on the issue is the Foresight Institute (www.foresight.org) [Drexler's mob], although trying to dig the stuff out of their website can be a bit tricky, since it assumes that the casual visitor is more interested in nanotechnology than information science. A lot of their work concerns the intelligent filtering of information and verification/accreditation of information. I believe that they were the first to propose ideas such as information exchanges (where information is treated as a commodity in a capitalist manner; not to restrict an idea (such as with patents) but to validate it's worth). They've played with some fun ideas. The fundamental problem with information spaces such as the web is fast and accurate navigation within the infospace, so that the data you desire is immediately available with the minimum of effort. Unfortuneately that is an idea that is extremely lost on architecture/Design students, for example, where they think pretty is better than simple and concise.

[maelorin]

i play with the foresight mob from time-to-time :)

to me "information architecture" connotes a *designed* information space. perhaps i'm too attached to the more 'traditional' use of the term 'architecture'?

mind you, many info arch practitiooners seem to have the same kind of thing in their mind - but are struggling to put it onto paper.

i should be tutoring unisa's city west info sys studnets in systems design from next week. bilby and i have already discussed the key ideas that the students ought to have burned into the back of their skulls by the time they leave ... "purpose" being central.

since i've been designing and/or hacking databases since the 80s - formally since 90s - i'm a big advocate of design over decoration.

some of drexler's ideas have resonated with me for at least a decade - possibly more.

[reverancepavane.livejournal.com]

Actually a few architects (the "real" ones that can join the RIAA) are playing with the design of information spaces in a similiar manner to designing buildings. After all, we have a natural understanding of navigating through a 3D environment so why not use that knowledge to create a VR system where the user can navigate for data. b One nice idea was that their VR system was the game Quake (after all, the game engine provides the neccessary attributes you require in a VR system - the ability to navigate through a virtual space). After all if the US Marines can use a customized version of Doom to get their consulate guards up to speed of the layout of foreign consulates... Admittedly it also led to the Architecture Summer School course subject of "Design a Quake Level" (although I think it's now "Design an Unreal Tournament Level"). But from reality. The example I've seen was the Old Police Barracks between Physics at UnivAd and the Museum. Impressively done.

[maelorin]

yeah. that sounds like a cool topic :)

sometimes i wonder if i'd have been better off doing architecture than law ...