Information Architecture Career Trends 2011

Information ArchitectureCareer Trends &

Perspectives

Chris Kiess, MLSAssociate Director of Information ArchitectureNational Alzheimer’s Association

The Summer of 2005 & the journey to here

The Slippery Problem of DefinitionsWhat is IA?

Taxonomies/Controlled VocabulariesFindabilityWeb Development & ProgrammingPrototypingUsability/HCI

Is it any, some or all of these?

Adding to the Confusion with Job TitlesInformation ArchitectUser Experience (UX) DesignerInteraction (IA) Designer Content StrategistContent ManagerTaxonomistUsability AnalystAnd the list will probably continue to grow

Primary Areas of IAFindabilityPrototypingContent ManagementWeb ProgrammingUsability & HCI

Findability InvolvesSEO

Search Engine RankingSite OptimizationMetatags

Pathways – Where they Arrive FromSearch Log AnalysisSite Analytics

This only gets them to your site!

Findability Within the SiteSearch EngineSound Structure and NavigationTaxonomies/Metadata/Controlled

Vocabularies Advanced Algorithms

Suggestions“If you like this, you might try…”

Social Networking

Taxonomy & Content ToolsExcelMultiTesFactiva SynapticaLexicoWeb ChoirTerm TreeData Harmony

*If you have interest in Taxonomies, take my summer S503 course online.

PrototypingWireframesMock-upsLow Fidelity Prototypes

Paper prototypesPPT, Visio, Balsamiq Mockups

High Fidelity PrototypesAxureHTML/CSS/JquerySerena

Site MapsWireframes

Prototypes/Mockups

Other Prototyping/Wireframe ToolsPhotoshop, FireworksOmnigraffleMindmapping ToolsGliffyCreatelyIpad Apps – UI Sketcher, Omnisketch, Adobe

Ideas, iMockup, Interface HD, Blueprint

Big trend in the field towards agile development moving away from concentration on these deliverables.

Content ManagementWhat is the content?Is it any good?Awareness of content lifecycle?Include the content in the software

development lifecycle!

Usability Analysis & HCIHow will you test the design?Agile development models are trendingSteve KrugNielsen’s Heuristics & Heuristic EvaluationGerhardt-Powals’ Cognitive Engineering

PrinciplesHigh Level User Testing – Techsmith’s Morae

The IA Job RoleWith such broad coverage, how in the world

would you ever prepare for this career?Is an MLS enough?What area do you concentrate on?Where to begin?

IA TrendsContent is still KingAgile DevelopmentKnow at least one scripting/programming

languageLess emphasis on deliverables and more

emphasis on moving the initial design forward

Human cognition as it relates to web development

How Do I Get a Job in IA?Join the IAI!!!IA MentoringLocal events: http://uxbookclub.org/Look at job titles, descriptions and

qualificationsIAI job boards Start thinking of and calling yourself an IASecond Degree

How Do I Get a Job in IA? Cont.

• Build a Portfolio through side projects, internships, personal work

• Put the Portfolio online!

• Make sure your portfolio follows the rules of IA

Do Your HomeworkRead the right booksKnow the fieldMake contactsKnow the languageKnow the pros and big thinkers as well as

their theoriesKnow best practices and trends

Recommended Reading:http://www.amazon.com/Usability-Web-Designing-Interactive-Technologies/dp/1558606580 http://www.jjg.net/elements/ "A Practical Guide to Information Architecture" - Donna Spencer “Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web” (2nd edition), Wodtke and Govella. "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug The IA Bible Mental Models and Prototyping A Project Guide to UX Design for User Experience Designs in the Field and in the Making : Russ Unger and Carolyn Chandler

Recommended Reading:http://theixdlibrary.com/ http://undercoverux.com/ - Emergence by Stephen Johnson - Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell etc. - Beautiful Data by Toby Segaran and Jeff Hammerbacher - Morville's Ambient Findability, -Stephen Few's Information Dashboard Design, -Luke Wroblewski's Web Form Design, -Edward Tufte's Envisioning Information, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/our_favorite_books_recommendations_from_the_staff_of_boxes_and_arrows The Visual Display of Quantitative Information - Edward Tufte

Question & Answer