Comments on: Casual IA http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/ Jorge Arango - Information architect and web designer based in Central America Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:15:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Peter Boersma http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Peter Boersma Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:14:18 +0000 http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/#comment-28 Most web design pattern collections contain useful IA patterns. See for example Martijn van Welie's collection here: http://www.welie.com/patterns/index.html Most web design pattern collections contain useful IA patterns. See for example Martijn van Welie’s collection here: http://www.welie.com/patterns/index.html

]]> By: Egon http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Egon Tue, 14 Nov 2006 09:23:14 +0000 http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/#comment-27 I think Peter is right on the "design pattern" approach. A collection of "open source" IA templates, methods, case studies, etc. in the spirit of <a href="http://www.oswd.org/" rel="nofollow">Open Source Web Design</a> and <a href="http://www.openwebdesign.org/" rel="nofollow">Open Web Design</a> would be appreciated by a lot of casual IAs, including myself ;-) I think Peter is right on the “design pattern” approach.

A collection of “open source” IA templates, methods, case studies, etc. in the spirit of Open Source Web Design and Open Web Design would be appreciated by a lot of casual IAs, including myself ;-)

]]> By: Rob http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Rob Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:40:23 +0000 http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/#comment-23 I can sometimes fall into the trap of being a casual IA, even though it's my day job! Because I enjoy technology, I find that "bells and whistles" grab my attention a little too much. But before I run with it, I always have to ask myself similar questions like: "What is the purpose of this site?" [MISSION] "Who are the stakeholders?" [AUDIENCE] "What story must be conveyed?" [CONTENT IS KING] "What functionality hits the 80%?" [80/20 RULE see <a href="http://www.usability.uk.com/glossary/8020-rule.htm" rel="nofollow">here and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80_20_rule" rel="nofollow">here] Similarly, I find that many folks focus on the "T" in <acronym title="Information Technology">IT</acronym> more so than "information." If "information" is relegated to the backseat, then technology, functionality, and design decisions often doom a project. I can sometimes fall into the trap of being a casual IA, even though it’s my day job! Because I enjoy technology, I find that “bells and whistles” grab my attention a little too much. But before I run with it, I always have to ask myself similar questions like:
“What is the purpose of this site?” [MISSION]
“Who are the stakeholders?” [AUDIENCE]
“What story must be conveyed?” [CONTENT IS KING]
“What functionality hits the 80%?” [80/20 RULE see here and here]

Similarly, I find that many folks focus on the “T” in IT more so than “information.” If “information” is relegated to the backseat, then technology, functionality, and design decisions often doom a project.

]]> By: Peter Boersma http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Peter Boersma Tue, 07 Nov 2006 07:20:59 +0000 http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/#comment-12 I believe Jorge already knows [1] that this is what I call Guerilla IA [2], or at least the bit where the "professional IAs" provide guidance to the "Casual IAs" in the shape of easy-to-use tools, methods, template and examples. Personally, I believe it would free us from some of the easier stuff, and allow us to focus on the wicked problems. Sort of like how design patterns help us (and others) create the "easy" 80% of a design. (Yes, I know my site is down as I write this, and that my posting doesn't seem to be indexed and cached by Google. I am working on correcting both...) [1] Jorge wrote: " I try to avoid the term “guerilla IA” for fear of being held up at the US border. ;-)" in his posting here: http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/03/31/the-post-summit-blues-or-ia-dissociative-identity-disorder/ [2] See my posting Piece of IA Pie: http://www.peterboersma.com/blog/2005/02/piece-of-ia-pie-little-micro-lite-or.html I believe Jorge already knows [1] that this is what I call Guerilla IA [2], or at least the bit where the “professional IAs” provide guidance to the “Casual IAs” in the shape of easy-to-use tools, methods, template and examples.

Personally, I believe it would free us from some of the easier stuff, and allow us to focus on the wicked problems. Sort of like how design patterns help us (and others) create the “easy” 80% of a design.

(Yes, I know my site is down as I write this, and that my posting doesn’t seem to be indexed and cached by Google. I am working on correcting both…)

[1] Jorge wrote: ” I try to avoid the term “guerilla IA” for fear of being held up at the US border. ;-)” in his posting here: http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/03/31/the-post-summit-blues-or-ia-dissociative-identity-disorder/
[2] See my posting Piece of IA Pie: http://www.peterboersma.com/blog/2005/02/piece-of-ia-pie-little-micro-lite-or.html

]]> By: Leon Kadoch - » Casual IA http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Leon Kadoch - » Casual IA Mon, 06 Nov 2006 22:15:11 +0000 http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/#comment-11 [...] Jorge Arango is one of the pioneers in the Information Architecture field in Central America, he´s the leader of the top IA & User-Centered WebDesign company in Panama. As an IA & Web Designer as well, I completely agree with his last post on his blog. It’s about Casual Information Architecture. [...] [...] Jorge Arango is one of the pioneers in the Information Architecture field in Central America, he´s the leader of the top IA & User-Centered WebDesign company in Panama. As an IA & Web Designer as well, I completely agree with his last post on his blog. It’s about Casual Information Architecture. [...]

]]> By: Leon Kadoch http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Leon Kadoch Fri, 03 Nov 2006 23:13:55 +0000 http://www.jarango.com/en/blog/2006/11/03/casual-ia/#comment-10 I think the best way to educate folks in this subject is by introducing them to the IA Science in a low-level way. They will do some research on the internet, or maybe they will use some IA books to get acquainted with this science. At the end, their interest and knowledge will lead them right to the spot they needed, so they can have an objective opinion. But I beleive that designer's with no IA knowledge and a clear idea of the needs will vary depending on the project. Some complex jobs will need a professional help, some simple sites (medium sites) may not need that much. Well that's just my simple opinion, I may be completely wrong. I think the best way to educate folks in this subject is by introducing them to the IA Science in a low-level way. They will do some research on the internet, or maybe they will use some IA books to get acquainted with this science. At the end, their interest and knowledge will lead them right to the spot they needed, so they can have an objective opinion. But I beleive that designer’s with no IA knowledge and a clear idea of the needs will vary depending on the project. Some complex jobs will need a professional help, some simple sites (medium sites) may not need that much. Well that’s just my simple opinion, I may be completely wrong.

]]>