[Sigia-l] IA system components - add to the list!

[Coon, Sean]

(IMPORTANT TEXT cutout. read previous post to understand fully)...

Designing web site components is itself a very interesting topic. Those
components have a lot to do with information. They are in some ways
affected by information architecture, if a site has one (not every site
has an information architecture). But make no mistake about it, those
components are NOT information architecture components."

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If taxonomy development (or navigation to information objects from
either a "top down" or "bottom up" approach) isn't an artifact of an
information architecture process, what is it an artifact of then? I
worked along side taxonomists at old tripod.com, and their jobs were
primarily to index sites into the member site browse/search structure --
which they had complete editorial control over -- but that was only a
micro task within the macro task of creating sidewide navigation
(browse/search/contextual,etc.) to sitewide information objects and the
display of information components. Is your position that the present
espoused definitions of IA are too broad or too narrow? What is your
definition?

Your comments once again make me feel that there is a real need for a
definition of the field. Yes, it is young and expanding (and
contracting) and nothing should attempt to lock it down. But we're all
smart here. I think we could create a flexible enough defition. Hell, we
deal with scalibility every day. Personally, I'm comfortable with what
I've experienced to date and what I've come across via communication
with colleagues to form my baseline definition and it leans more towards
the "little IA" theory. I'd just be terrified if a business were
attempting to write job descriptions based on this thread. Even as a
freelancer, getting in the door to work in a slotted "IA" role would be
more difficult without clarity and consensus across the board.

Nothing personal (this time ;) Boniface.

sean patrick coon
sr. interaction designer
ameritrade inc.
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