[Sigia-l] Re: The Endgame (was Off Topic Posts)

[Lyle Kantrovich]

Well put, Dan.

In my previous role, my self-created title was "User Experience
Architect"...which evolved into "User Experience Director" - it was
very cross disciplinary.  After I crafted my title of User Experience
Architect, George Olson was the only other person I found using that
title...now many people use that title and similar ones (I take no
credit for that).  I specifically didn't call myself a "usability
engineer" or "information architect" or "design strategist" or "user
interface designer", even though I could have claimed any of those
titles.  Each of them were to narrowly focused for what I was doing at
that company.

Some companies need deep expertise and operate quite well with very
specific roles. (E.g. ethnographer, usability engineer, UI designer,
taxonomist, and yes, IA)

At times, I've play the role of IA, designer, usability expert,
developer, project manager, business analyst, product manager, etc.  I
think that's pretty common.  Titles are just what you call
yourself...something to put on a business card or in an email
signature.

I think of IA mainly as a discipline. Some think of it as a field or
industry, others as a distinct role or title.  Regardless of how you
think of IA, I would assert that it's the discipline of IA that is
common.  In other words, the role practices the discipline (and likely
others), and the field or industry encompasses those in IA roles (and
maybe others?).  Whether IA is a field or industry may be debatable. 
I tend to think of it as one of many things in the UX field...but not
everyone will agree with that.

As for an umbrella cross-disciplinary professional association, UXnet
is a start.  I also personally identify well with UPA (I very involved
there), and find that our membership is made up of people who were
many different hats and come from many different backgrounds.  I'm
still a member of multiple associations, and consider myself someone
who practices "IA" at times.

"The UPA supports those who promote and advance the development of
usable products, reaching out to people who act as advocates for
usability and the user experience. Members come from across the broad
family of disciplines that create the user experience." (from the UPA
home page)

References:
http://www.uxnet.org/
http://usabilityprofessionals.org/
http://usabilityprofessionals.org/about_upa/

Lyle

--------------------------
Lyle Kantrovich
Blog: Croc O' Lyle
http://crocolyle.blogspot.com

On 3/9/06, Dan Saffer <dan at odannyboy.com> wrote:
> On Mar 9, 2006, at 8:34 AM, Paula Thornton wrote:
>
> > Of greater consideration/concern (a point that I've been raising
> > for now 6
> > years, having seen the 'endgame' all along) where is there a
> > professional
> > association which embraces and supports this realistic role?
>
> The question is, does this list and professional organizations like
> IAI  (and others like it for interaction design, usability, etc.)
> exist to serve ROLES or DISCIPLINES? No one list is probably going to
> serve the fluid nature of roles. But they can serve disciplines.
>
> I've never called myself an information architect or had that "role,"
> but I have practiced the discipline of information architecture, and
> that's why I'm on this list.
>
> Defining roles will lead us down the rabbit hole for the umpteenth time.
>
> Dan
>
>
>
> Dan Saffer
> Designing for Interaction
> New Riders, August 2006
> http://www.designingforinteraction.com
>

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