[Sigia-l] So, how did you become a [Information Architect|Usability Engineer|Interface Designer|etc.]?

[Cecily Walker]

On 6/25/05, Ted Han <notheory at gmail.com> wrote:
> Have you simply stumbled in from some other line of work, surprised to
> discover that this is what interests you?  Did you set out and go
> "usability is my -thing-." and go out and get a degree in something or
> other?  How did you find out about IA?


I started out in a master's degree program in library and information
sciences with the idea that I wanted to be some sort or "cybrarian",
or a librarian who worked in digital spaces. I'd taught myself HTML
when the Internet was in its infancy. Later, I worked as a web hosting
technician (and learned quite a bit about server maintenance). So when
I decided to go to Library School, I had sort of made up my mind that
I didn't want to work in a traditional library environment, unless my
job duties included structuring information and 'web design'.

Over the course of my program, I learned more about indexing,
bibliographic control, metadata, XML, and designing information
systems (databases and interfaces).  I used that knowledge (and a
portfolio made up of classroom assignments) to land my first job as a
User Experience Architect.

While it sometimes feels as if I stumbled into this line of work, I
think that my interests helped to define the path that I would
ultimately follow.

- Cecily