[Sigia-l] IA research?

[Peter VanDijck]

Listera wrote:
> > I am a bit dismayed by the lack of quality research around web usage in
> > general and IA specifically.
> 
> What problem(s) have you come across that you couldn't solve that pushed you
> into such despair?

It's not so much about "couldn't solve". It's about better ways of
understanding the problems, and better ways of attacking them.

> > And if there is hardly any research, then does that mean our profession
> > is getting stuck?
> 
> You mean without 'academic-quality research' we wouldn't be where we are?
> ;-)

Without the little that's been done, yes. But I mean: if IA doesn't
become more research-driven (I mean *basic* research, not the practical
user research you do when doing a project), it risks becoming obsolete.
A few rules of thumb and borrowed concepts don't make a profession.

Peter