[Sigia-l] Findability

[Derek R]

Meanwhile, back on the 'findability' thread, I hope everyone is at least
getting a feel for how 'findability' is not inherent to actual content,
only to actual practitioners (users) -- which is to say that
'understanding,' 'intelligence,' or whatever you want to call the
phenomenon of knowing you 'found' something is located with the
perceiver, NOT with the content.

If Peter Morville wants to go-to-the-can at an airport, or anywhere else
for that matter, then Peter Morville himself (as individual) must figure
out where the restroom is. There *will be* signage, and it may be useful
signage (i.e. usability), or not. Nevertheless, the onus is on Mr.
Morville to get-his-butt-in-gear and stop acting like a child who needs
everything given to him on a golden platter.

In other words, you cannot design-for-findability but you can
design-for-scannability which is the mechanism through which 'finding'
occurs (i.e. cause then effect). Syntax, language, boundary, category,
hierarchical ordering, etc. is ALL in the eye-of-the-beholder, which is
to say PRESENTATION, since it is fruitless to try and *force*
people/users to believe or ascribe to a system-of-belief.

So, where I think we can agree that 'findability' is a catchy-phrase and
may be marketable to ignorant audiences (i.e. 'management'),
nevertheless, it is of zero practical usefulness since it confuses
instead of clarifies.

You cannot design content to be 'found,' you can only design it to be
scanned/examined in the most logical, clear, and definitive way possible
(i.e. syntax + semantics = xml = structured language). The ability to
'find' something is locked into relevance which is locked into context.
Both relevance and context, and therefore 'findability,' are
user-dependent, which is to say they are arbitrary:

**First rule of general semantics: All conceptions are equally
arbitrary, being only conceptions!**

We CAN have 'normative considerations,' which is how communication
exists. You say 'hello' and I understand it as a standard greeting.
Nevertheless, as Ethnomethodology teaches, my conception of the word
'hello' is my *own* (i.e. arbitrary). The extent to which I, as
individual, 'buy into' the normative consideration of 'hello' as
greeting -- in other words the extent to which I bring myself to an
awareness of intent -- could be called 'findability.'

But, any use of that term would have to underscore the concept as being
*user-driven* and that accomplishment is achieved *by the user* so that
content, itself, cannot be measured as having 'findability' since
it-takes-two-to-tango, or in this case three (1+1=3) where a third
'normative consideration' is included as gestalt (like Google = search
terms + content + algorithm).


Personal Summary: 

'Findability' is 'ok' as a characteristic of user-ability, but why we
need a new term to describe what normal language can handle quite
adequately is beyond me. There is a lot of band-wagoning and superficial
propping-up of certain figures because that is where a lot of people's
hopes lie (i.e. they *need* a big-wig to recommend them to achieve).
Still, I believe there are other people around who do not pay any
attention to IA because IA-practitioners' intentions are not genuine and
are focused on gimmicks and pyramid-scheming to get ahead. I think that
only a team willing to work together, and not jamming concepts
down-each-other's-throats, is a team worthy of the name. Since I have
entered this IA community 1.5 years ago, I have not witnessed any team
leadership or genuine direction. I have witnessed a lot of elitism,
where certain parties and individuals feel their contributions deserve
more recognition then others. But, I can tell you, until the philosophy
which holds one person's ideas or collective being as superior, and
another's inferior, is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
we, as an industry of professionals or practitioners of a discipline,
will not know progress or collaborative definition (adoption), and
furthermore, the goal of world-recognized Information Architecture will
remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained. 

This message is not an indulging of dramatics. There are many people,
myself included, who need to discard their egos and come together in the
spirit of collaboration, not the spirit of rejection, to make this dream
of universal oneness and togetherness a reality. Only by uniting can we
achieve the victory of good IA jobs and promising IA futures for all.

Seriously, don't delay. Do something today which expresses a genuine
desire to recognize yourself as part of the group. Don't be a
fringe-member. Don't subscribe to this list just to perform surveillance
and then turn-around and claim membership. Take an active role.

Thank you.