[Sigia-l] Re: The 3 Factors of I/A

[Livia Labate]

: Rich said: "I would suggest that this should be extended to say that IA is
: primarily concerned with the problems of helping people find things that
are
: relevant to their current purpose."

Statements like this (as well as those that abstractly talk about the 'user
experience' and how we exist to create the optimal 'user experiences') make
IAs sound like Flight Attendants.

Flight Attendants exists to make the user experience the best possible
experience, even if that means (literaly) taking the user by the hand and
leading them towards their goal. But they don't fly the plane, they don't
build the aircraft nor do they manage the airline.

IAs on the other hand are (can/should be) involved in the creation and
conceptualization of the project, the building of the system and the
implementation of its directives, making project and company goals meet
users needs.

Information Architecture has much more complex implications than *just* the
user perspective. It is STRATEGIC. It is business-oriented (combining all
stakeholders goals; clients', company's, suppliers's, etc). We don't *need*
to ever define Information Architecture. If we understand its strategic
role, know what its implications are and what our role is in projects,
definitions are unimportant and limiting. We certainly can do without them.
We have so far.

Livia Labate
Information Architect
_______________________________
www.livlab.com | liv at livlab.com

Flaming warning: I have nothing against Flight Attendants, this was a
metaphor for the level of implications our profession has.