[Sigia-l] re: narrative in IA - links

[Eric Scheid]

On 21/2/05 3:09 AM, "Scott Paterson" <aisgp at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Maybe I'm misunderstanding your question, but hasn't narrative been an
> integral part of the discussion around designing user experience all along?
> I'm thinking of some examples from spatial memory back in the days of 3D
> interfaces where Simonides memory palaces allowed an amazingly detailed
> narrative to be recounted or from advertising and brandscaping where narrative
> is used to sell a product or the days of CD-Roms or Oulipo's non-linear
> narratives, or Janet Murray's book _Hamlet on the Holodeck_, or the list goes
> on. But again I think I might be missing your question's point.
> 

Certainly narrative is often seen in the texts of the content of the pages,
whether it be trying to sell you some widget, explaining the procedures for
a tax refund, or whatever. I'm not asking after that application of
narrative.

Also, narrative is a useful tool during the *process* of defining an
information architecture for some project, and can be seen represented
within various IA deliverables (eg. personas). Again, I'm not asking after
that particular application of narrative.

Rather, what I'm asking after is the application of narrative in the defined
architecture of a site. This would be in comparison to, say, applying the
rhetoric of spatial arrangement and navigation which is the current
predominant metaphor for information architectures (vis. a "home" page,
etc). Additionaly, unlike _Hamlet on the Holodeck_ which asks how the neat
attributes, qualities, and technologies of cyberspace be applied to and
reshape narrative; my question asks the opposite: how can narrative be
applied to reshape cyberspace (read: information architecture).

I hope that makes sense to someone.

e.