[Sigia-l] The value of an IA

[Robert Cornejo]

--- Listera wrote:
Are you asking for matters of IA/Design to be
discussed more openly by *nonprofessionals*?
--------------------------------

Not exactly.  Give the nonprofessionals, particularly
the recruiters and "contract project budgeters", some
more exposure to the contributions, value(ation), cost
and benefit of great UX/IA/ID work.  

Back to the iPod example:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6450_7-5512416-1.html

The article gives some insight into what makes the
iPod tick and click with users.  When it was first
published I found it on both soft/hardward and design
geek sites.  The story behind the Synaptics clickwheel
is engaging and accessible by UX, Industrial Design,
UI and non-design readers.  

Morville's blog has all of 2 reader comments across 8
posts.  
http://findability.org/

B&A has marginally more.
http://www.boxesandarrows.com/story

While Digg's Design section has hundreds of comments.
http://digg.com/design

This isn't meant to tie the number of comments with
$rate/hour for contract IA work.  Digg is also short
of any discussion on IA/UX in general.  But, the
exposure of the design discussion is far greater in an
accessible format and arena.  

The real dollar cost of well-designed physical goods
is easily understood and accepted because people "get
it".  Aside from marketing terms, there is no
specialized language or concept required to "get" why
it rocks.  What makes a great IA/UI/UX is largely
invisible, to the non-designer, and harder to grasp,
in digital form.  

As we've seen with the recruiters and (job) posters in
this forum, there are non-designers that will go out
of their way to interact with the designers where they
congregate.  Those few are exposed to the "that rate
is way to low" discussion, the rest of potential
low-ballers continue to have no idea of the cost or
value.  

Something on the order, or execution, of Digg would
costitute an offer to meet the pool of potential
clients half-way.  Many (most?) of the interesting
links that have been introduced into this list have
come from external non-design fora.  

Keep the discussion interesting, relevant and open and
there's a greater chance of both clients and designers
having similar valuations of great design work.  

= R

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