[Sigia-l] What makes an IA good at what he or she does?

[Sean Lawrence]

I think that HF is more geared towards User Research positions, 
personally.  I've always said that IA's need to be people who have an 
integrative perspective.  They need to be able to easily see connections 
between disparate elements.  Wire frames are simply the result of a 
visceral process and the quality of them depend on the quality of one's 
abiltity as it is informed by their own experience.  From what I've 
encountered, people who make the best IA's tend to be people who have a 
LOT of different interests, approach things from a "whole systems" 
angle, prefer an inductive approach and are rabid problem-solvers.  If 
you actually enjoy sitting down with a knotted up mess of chain and 
unknotting it, you might be an IA ;)

-sean

Laurie Gray wrote:

>I was recently challenged by a colleague to define what makes us good at
>what we do. His argument was, anyone can draw wireframes - what makes
>what you do different, and better? 
>
>I have some ideas but I am curious to hear what the group thinks. This
>particular colleague is very much in support of my work, and the
>discussion related on how to sell my skills to other colleagues, who
>feel that anyone trained in HF can do IA work.
>
>Thank you,
>Laurie
>
>------------------------------------
>HumanCentric Technologies
>Laurie Gray
>Senior Usability Specialist
>lgray at humancentrictech.com
>111 James Jackson Ave. Suite 221 Cary NC 27513
>tel: 919-481-0565
>fax: 919-481-0310
>------------------------------------
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