[Sigia-l] What makes an IA good at what he or she does?

[Pradyot Rai]

Emma Dowson's remark -

> As someone who would not call themselves an IA - I have to say that IA
> work takes a particular perspective on how people work,... [snip]

On the same lines -- I am observing that the recent culture of software
development is creating a new role (closer to management) for which
IA/ID/UE are viable alternatives. It is stupid to limit this new role
with "wireframe" or "user research" alone. At some places this position
is called Information Arch. at other places it is User Experience,
Usability Engineer or simply UI consultant. At yet another places these
are the people who are called "product/project/design" Managers.

This new role has sprung up because most of the requirement or product
management issues in software companies are primarily focussed on UI,
development, usability and marketing issues. It requires somebody to
have good taste for design, leadership skill, eye on the requirement,
creative, setting up usability goals, understanding various processes,
methodology, business analytics, etc.

With this role, the conventional wisdom of Product Management has shown
willingness to share work. And in my recent endeavour I see lot of
Designers/IA are now filling in positions for PM.

This new role requires many things -- setting up (and managing)
expectation/people/product/projects etc. It requires dexterity to be a
leader and understand issues (including design). People are coming from
downsteam specialization of Art, Visual Communication, Information
Sciences, Architecture, technical writing, programming, movie making,
journalism, psychology, human factor etc. There are people who are
swiching the boat from upstream positions of Product Managers, SMEs,
Process Experts, Strategists etc.

The whole discussion about what "we" bring so special(?) seems rhetorical.
It almost depends just on individual skills, the road you have travelled
in the past and the market in which you are competing. IA or any other
domain has no magic-potion to elevate the answer you may be looking at.

Prady