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

[Peter Van Dijck]

Why have IA's done better at selling their field than, say, "Knowledge 
managers", or the much maligned "webmasters"?

I have a pet theory about why IA as a field has been successful enough 
for many companies to now say "I need an IA". Basically: we're great at 
creating boundary objects (creating things that have different meanings 
for different groups of people, like wireframes). Which is exactly what 
web teams need.

What I find interesting is how we are developing IA as a meaningful 
category that is accepted by a wide variety of social groups. There's a 
study there waiting to be done.

How does a title fit in? I think it is another useful boundary object. 
Trying to create a title that is *enforced* (so you can be *refused* the 
title) is foolishness. Like race or ethnicity in the US census, the 
title should be a self-assigned category (so you are an "IA" if you say 
you are an "IA", not just if someone else says so).

Talk about the ethics of IA: creating an enforced "IA" title/category 
(at this point in time) would be unethical, because it would hurt a lot 
of individual people.

Can you tell I've been reading Susan Leigh Star again?

Cheers!
PeterV