On the IAI list yesterday, David Malouf asked about the aesthetics of information architecture. I don’t claim to have a competent answer but the question got me thinking. What language do we use to critique an IA? All the material I have read focuses purely on utility, not elegance or satisfaction. This goes way back. As a community, we lack a published base of formal frameworks for communicating design critique. I’m not filling that void today, but I do think the community uses useful terms and frameworks in our practice and we should start collecting and publishing them. Continue reading »
I started using Delicious again after a one-year hiatus. I am impressed with the new interface. At first, I though they just reskinned the old design – lipstick on a pig, if we are still allowed to use that phrase. After using it for a week, I see that they have made a number of subtle but crucial changes to the user interface.
Today, I am writing about the tagging interface, which is my favorite of these changes. I really like the new interface. I offer some tips on using it effectively, and some recommendations to the design team on further improvements. Continue reading »
One of the unavoidable features of modern professional life is a never-ending stream of email. Over the years I have come up with a few tricks that really help me stay at email nirvana: “inbox zero.” People around here tease me about it, but I have a very tidy inbox. I thought I would share some techniques (tricks) I have found useful. Continue reading »
I taught a class on tagging for Vera Rhoads at the University of Maryland Graduate School back in 2006. It was an introductory-level presentation, aimed at covering the basics. Last year, I presented a similar presentation on classification, tagging and search. Continue reading »
I have given versions of this information retrieval talk for five or six semesters at Thom Haller’s USDA Graduate School class on Information Architecture. I always enjoy the class, since Thom attracts folks with an interesting range of experience. Continue reading »