[Sigia-l] IA and Traditional Software

[Gent, Andrew]

Hi Lyle,

>>Just wondering how folks think IA relates to software applications.  

Just as context for my response to your question, my background was in
software product development, covering (at various times) documentation,
training, and usability. I used the title "Information Architect" in
this arena long before we did any web work. (Note that I am no longer in
product development, so what I am about to say is historical.)

We took the approach that anything the customer could see, touch, smell,
or taste was "documentation" or "information" and therefore needed to be
designed to present a consistent message, encourage best practices
("affordability") and drive to what we now call a positive user
experience. So we created complete product information architectures
that covered training, user interface elements, documentation, online
help, even marketing and packaging.

Having said that, in those days we were fighting an uphill battle. Large
companies (this was before my work in HP) tended to compartmentalize
each function and it was difficult to even talk to the other
organizations, nevermind agree on a common strategy. However, these
practical limitations of control were included in the architecture and
we did the best we could manage with the situation. Where possible, we
also advocated changes in the base platforms to provide better support
for product information. (Remember, this was before the web, so our
efforts focused often on online books and online help for DECwindows,
Motif, and other windowing systems.)

Things are much better today than they were back then (I don't mean to
make myself out the ancient crone that statement might imply!) But the
Balkanization of the product components continues to be a problem for
effective information architecture. 

Andrew Gent
HP Services