[Sigia-l] Being considerate of others (Off Topic Posts)

[Alexander Johannesen]

Hiya,

On 3/9/06, Lyle Kantrovich <lyle.kantrovich at gmail.com> wrote:
> My point, which WAS aimed at your question, was that you've been
> "here" long enough to have formed your own opinions about what IA is.

So if I've made my opinion on what something is, I shouldn't ask,
because, you know, I must be right? :)

> You asked "Um ... what's IA? Something isolated from UX and UID?"

I asked something I feel is a rethorical question; of course it isn't
isolated from UX and UID or UCD, for that matter. The edge between
them is what we're really discussing in this thread. I'm a promoter of
fuzzy large edges, whilst others are more distinct small edges. Is
this something that really can be solved?

> If you wanted to discuss how IA, UX and UID are related you could have
> shared your own opinion.  Instead we're left to guess what your
> opinions are, and wonder if you really have any opinions on IA, or if
> IA is just another buzzword making up part of a big UX soup in your
> reality.

Well ... as much as I agree with that if I was a newbie, the archive
does provide hints to the curious. But also, this being a discussion
list, I could be asked about it. You know, it's pretty similar to any
other "add to the discussion instead of whinge about it" thread in any
other list that ever was, so I'm not perhaps taking this terribly
seriously.

> The question isn't whether you have opinions, I'm sure you do. My
> question is whether SIGIA is really about IA, or if it's just about
> UX, or anything related to technology (new media, web, what-have-you)
> or Design.

This is going round in circles; yes, it's about IA, and yes, it's also
about UX and design because IA fits further into them. Sure, you could
try the Nazi way by putting down a very specific definition about what
something is, and shun anybody who presents anything that doesn't fit
into the definition, but really, do you expect something like that to
work?

> If I want to talk about usability testing, I go to another list for
> that.  If I want to talk about detailed interation design, I go to
> another list for that.  That doesn't mean that those are off-topic for
> this list, but honestly, would most people on this list want to talk
> about the nitty gritty details of how to facilitate an international
> usability test of a medical device and how to deal with different
> cultural variability between test user groups?

Why not? Does it take away from your life that you ignore a mail
you're not interested in? It really isn't that hard. :) I love the
diversity presented in SIGIA, so that I don't have to register for
another 5 lists; I personally think the balance here is good, because,
you know, for every right answer there is a another answer that is
equally right. I remember back just a tad when we were discussing
user-centered design vs. action-based design; being too specific takes
away from its usefulness, which is why I find the mixed bag in here
just right. And, to be frank, if you *are* only interested in IA
specific things (whatever that may end up being specified as), then
you talk about it.

Let's try it; what's IA related in this thread, apart from being about
the definition of it? How can we for example create a faceted view of
what we've talked about? I'll start ;

 - every post gets a facet for author, authors quoted and day

(But you know, I should really do some UCD to make sure those facets
are right, but let's leave that discussion for later :)

> Some people might find
> it "interesting", but I'd expect more expertise on that topic on a
> usability list.  On the other hand, topics such as navigation schemes,
> search, metadata, card sorting, browsing approaches, etc. should be
> the "bread and butter" of this list (IMO).

Didn't know it was? Usually Ziya pops a usable/useful link out to have
people discuss various aspects of whatever it might be. It's as much
up to you to discuss the IA within.

> Breadth of topics is nice, but focus is what will keep this list
> relevant and interesting for people learning and practicing IA.

Oh, I'm focused, baby! :)


Alex
--
"Ultimately, all things are known because you want to believe you know."
                                                         - Frank Herbert
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