[Sigia-l] IA for non-web based projects

Peter Merholz peterme at peterme.com
Thu May 13 15:06:06 EDT 2004


> "Peter Merholz" wrote:
>
>> I've never heard of a user-centered media process, where themes, 
>> concepts,
>> scripts, storyboards, etc., are somehow "tested" on users.


> So is the notion that the film and TV industries, for example, haven't 
> been
> testing products before, during and after production for decades, 
> whether
> it's a TV commercial tested for multiple markets, direct marketing 
> material
> for multiple demographics or a Hollywood film for different endings via
> focus groups.

All these are examples of "after production." The TV Commercial has 
been produced before it's tested for multiple markets. Same with the 
direct marketing material, and the different endings.

> For years here and elsewhere, I have been fighting against the crazy 
> notion
> that IA started with a book a few years ago or that it's web-bound or 
> that
> it's digital-only.

Maybe people would listen if you didn't pose your arguments with such 
needless antagonism.

And this was definitely not the claim. You might have noticed that I 
mentioned product design, which has had "user-centered" methods for 
ages.

Your attempts at setting up IA-centrism as a straw man that you can 
beat with your rapier-like insight is wholly unwarranted in this 
discussion.

I stand by my original claim, "I've never heard...", though Thomas 
Vanderwal's subsequent post from his personal experience showed 
otherwise. And he was able to do so without being a dick.

--peter




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