[Sigia-l] IA and medium

[Christina Wodtke]

These are some of the thoughts that led me to that ponder (which I am not
sure is true; that's why I put it up for discussion.)

1. Although the sainted RSW coined the term, IA didn't really take off until
the web consultancies made it part of their process and spread the meme.

2. I should have said internet rather than web. The internet is a unique
medium, beyond software that had come before.
 http://www.lab404.com/media/
I think it was this convergence of content with software and the network
that created a new breed of designer, the IA. I keep hearing that the web
was beyond current HCI problems because of findability, that it was beyond
previous LIS problems because it has untrained searchers making advanced
searches with no librarian to help them.... that is was a new problem made
up of a new configuration of a bunch of old problems, but still... new
problem, new solution, new skill-set/role.

3. I agree that IA solution-set is now applicable to multiple other
problems, especially in networked data-rich technology environments, but I
just wonder if the web/internet is IA native medium.

Is the convergence that produces IA  vast amounts of content, digital
consumtion, virtual navigaiton, variable audience set (some are more
specific than others... Wall Street Journal is a narrower user set than
google, i imagine) and... Maybe this question coudl be bottom-upped.

Again, just pondering.


> traditional information architects like librarians adapted quickly
> to information architecture for the web (as we know it today)... and
> then, a lot of information architects who started with the web figured
> that their skill sets apply to loads of offline areas.
>
> go figure! just goes to show that cross pollination is an intrinsic
> part of human learning.
>