[Sigia-l] RE: Sigia-l Digest, Vol 16, Issue 30

[Christopher Fahey]

John wrote:
> Obviously there are always exceptional individuals who transcend.  I'm
> not saying it is impossible that an IA could become CEO.  I'm simply
> saying that the claim of IA CEOs in software and media as a trend is
> delusional.

If you re-read my post you'll see that I had no such delusions -- I only
predicted that there would be *one* IA as a major media/software CEO.

I do, however, claim that we will see a trend where people who started out
as IAs will increasingly end up in important software and media management
positions. To believe otherwise is quite simply an insult to everyone on
this list.


> Those are absurd analogies.  These individuals all had formal 
> expertise in the subject matters their companies later capitalized  
> on. IA has no inherent subject matter (other than IA itself).  

I disagree that information architecture has less "inherent subject matter"
than artist management or software engineering. I'm going to sound a lot
like Ziya here when I say that most great IAs are extraordinarily visionary
about the importance of the user experience and the strategy behind digital
products and services. If there is a "inherent subject matter" for the media
and software companies of the future, it's the holistic concern for the user
experience (and let's not mince words: when I say "user experience", I'm not
talking about the taste of food at a restaurant, I'm talking about
electronic user interfaces).


> > As these industries continue to evolve into intractive, 
> > on-demand, mobile, and other buzzy/convergent inevitabilities, 
> > a leader who understands the user experience and the challenges 
> > involved in innovating them may be a little more valuable than 
> > a leader with a background in artist management, broadcast 
> > programming, and film production. 
> 
> Agreed, but this still does not necessitate nor even favor 
> having an IA as CEO.

Are you saying that in the future many industries will require leaders who
understand the critical importance of digital user interfaces to their
company's success, but that IAs aren't especially suited to that? If I were
less polite, I might say that was ludicrous, absurd, and delusional. 

I frankly don't understand your hostility towards the idea that some IAs
will increasingly make a difference in the world of business and media. 

-Cf

Christopher Fahey
____________________________
Behavior
http://www.behaviordesign.com