In this talk for EuroIA 2020, I shared 5 lessons learned as an information architect at Microsoft to better facilitate murky projects with higher stakeholder confidence, less churn, better meetings, noticeable progress, and happy teams. View the full transcript here: www.rachelaudreyprice.com/speaking-writing/euroia-2020-charting-a-course-through-murky-work

1. Rachel Price // Information Architect // Microsoft
EuroIA 2020
CHARTING A COURSE THROUGH
MURKY WORK
SE A CHANGE:

2. murky work

3. murky work

4. murky work
domain expertise

5. murky work
domain expertise
broad collaboration across domains

6. murky work
domain expertise
broad collaboration across domains
time

7. huge
navigation
project

8. huge
navigation
project
domain expertise

9. huge
navigation
project
domain expertise
broad collaboration across domains

10. huge
navigation
project
domain expertise
broad collaboration across domains
time

12. Those who can, teach.
Lesson 1

17. DSIA Common Set - Nate Davis

20. “Steer, don’t row.”
Lesson 2
- Thomas Kalil -

21. Thomas Kalil
“Policy Entrepreneurship
at the White House”

22. “We democratize our work by choosing to
navigate, rather than drive, and knowing
when to become a passenger.”
– Behzod Sirjani –

23. A good Navigator…
Provides directions
Plans ahead
Envisions a route
Doesn’t hold the wheel
A good Passenger…
Encourages the driver
Shares feedback in the right
way at the right time
Behzod Sirjani
“Democratization is our Job”

24. Do your
homework.

25. Gather the team.

26. mutual
understanding
trust
candor
reciprocity
ME YOU
Adapted from: Thomas Kalil
“Policy Entrepreneurship at the White House”

27. Always
Be
Curious.

30. “Clear is kind.”
- Brené Brown -
Lesson 3

31. Team Agreements
Confirmation SignalsExpanding Trust
Richard Banfield
“Organisational Underwear: How To Successfully Collaborate With Cross-Functional Teams”

32. Team Agreements
Confirmation SignalsExpanding Trust
…require clarity
Richard Banfield
“Organisational Underwear: How To Successfully Collaborate With Cross-Functional Teams”

33. “Write it down, make it happen.”
– Thomas Kalil –

34. Acknowledge conflicting priorities.
Document guiding principles.
Establish rules of engagement.
Use plain language.

36. “Every act of communication is
a miracle of translation.”
- Ken Liu -
Lesson 4

37. S.I. Hayakawa
“Language in Thought and Action”

38. Rob Scott & Emily Heath @ EuroIA 19
“Navigating the Ladder of Abstraction”

39. abstract
concrete
strategy
principles
models
real things
Analogies
Stories
Press releases
North stars / goals
IA / design / team principles
Program / project / team charters
Diagrams, maps, drawings
Content / IA models
Archetypes, user journeys
Scenarios, user flows
Patterns
Wireframes
Prototypes

41. Be brave!
Lesson 5

42. – Abby Covert, IA Conference 2020 keynote –
“You have to be brave to sort out something that the
people around you might assume is un-sort-able.”

44. brave = hero

45. Be brave!
Teach.
Steer, don’t row.
Be kind; be clear.
Translate for others.

46. thank you!
Resources
Banfield, Richard; SofaConf 2020 https://vimeo.com/showcase/7295448/video/431008671
Brown, Brené https://brenebrown.com/blog/2018/10/15/clear-is-kind-unclear-is-unkind/
Covert, Abby; IAC20 Opening Keynote https://vimeo.com/407827483/407827483
Hayakawa, S.I.; Language in Thought andAction
Heath, Emily & Rob Scott; EuroIA19, Navigating the Ladder ofAbstraction
Hogan, Lara https://larahogan.me/blog/running-working-groups/
Kalil, Thomas https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/inov_a_00253
Sirjani, Behzod https://yetanother.studio/blog/democratization-is-our-job
Rachel Price // Information Architect // Microsoft // @r_audrey