The document discusses how information architecture (IA) can be used to reveal truths about ourselves, our communities, and the world. It describes exercises like the privilege walk that can increase self-awareness. It also discusses how IA can help balance power in communities and institutions by providing engagement and checks. The document poses questions about how else IA could reveal truths and concludes by asking what actions can be taken to improve ourselves, our communities, and the world.

1. IA FOR
TRUTH
Louis Rosenfeld • Information Architecture Conference 2019 • 17 March 2019

2. Time
flies!

3. Time
flies!

4. Time
flies!

5. Information
Architecture
for the Truth

6. Truth

7. Truth
Facts

8. Truth
Facts
+ Understanding

9. Truth

10. Truth

11. Information
Architecture
for the Truth

12. about
Ourselves
Information
Architecture
for the Truth

13. Information
Architecture
for the Truth

14. about
Community
Information
Architecture
for the Truth

15. Information
Architecture
for the Truth

16. about the
World
Information
Architecture
for the Truth

17. about
Ourselves
the Truth

18. #metoo

19. The Privilege Walk

20. The Privilege Walk

21. If your ancestors were forced to come
to the USA not by choice, take one
step back.
If your primary ethnic identity is
"American," take one step forward.
If you were ever called names because
of your race, class, ethnicity,
gender, or sexual orientation, take
one step back.
If there were people who worked for
your family as servants, gardeners,
nannies, etc. take one step forward.
If you were ever ashamed or
embarrassed of your clothes, house,
Privilege Walk questions

23. religious
responsive
searching
self-assertive
self-conscious
sensible
sentimental
shy
silly
spontaneous
sympathetic
tense
trustworthy
warm
wise
witty
gentle
calm
supportive
able
accepting
adaptable
bold
brave
calm
caring
cheerful
clever
complex
confident
dependable
dignified
empathetic
energetic
extroverted
friendly
giving
happy
helpful
idealistic
independent
ingenious
intelligent
introverted
kind
knowledgeable
logical
loving
mature
modest
nervous
observant
organized
patient
powerful
proud
quiet
reflective
relaxed
Johari Window adjectives

26. Binary world of my youth

27. Gender and sexuality today

28. Q:
How else might
IA reveal the
Truth about
Ourselves?

29. about
Community
the Truth

30. IA and the CoC

31. IA and the CoC

32. Community
Institutions

33. Community
Institutions
Potent and Unstable
are

34. “The test of a first-rate intelligence is
the ability to hold two opposed ideas
in mind at the same time and still
retain the ability to function.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald

35. Disarming
Potent Institutions
need

36. Engagement
Unstable
Institutions
need

37. An accident in Maine

39. Checks & Balances
Information
Architecture
can serve as a Community’s

47. Q:
How else might
IA reveal the
Truth about a
Community?

48. about the
World
the Truth

49. Q.
What’s user research
really about?

50. Q.
What’s user research
really about?
A.
Finding the truth.

51. WeWork:

52. WeWork:
content objects
metadata

53. WeWork:

54. WeWork:

55. WeWork: filter/
metadata

56. WeWork: ancontent objects
metadata

57. Q.
What’s another field
focused on finding and
understanding the truth?

58. Q.
What’s another field
focused on finding and
understanding the truth?
A.
Journalism

64. Q:
How else might
IA reveal the
Truth about the
World?

65. Actions:
What will we do
to improve
Ourselves, our
Community, and
the World?

68. Thank you

69. Jorge Arango / MJ Babic / Lynn Boyden /
Christian Crumlish / Hannah duPlessis / Karl
Fast / Dave Gray / Erin Kissane / Jonathan
Kahn / Dan Klyn / Dirk Knemeyer / Amy
Marquez / Michele Marut / Karen McGrane /
Bibiana Nunes / Dave Pappas / Adam
Polansky / Dan Ramsden / Marc Rettig / Iris
Rosenfeld / Valeria Rosalez / Tomer Sharon /
David Sleight / Steve Turbek / Sara Wachter-
Boettcher / Christina Wodtke
Lots of thanks!

70. • Privilege Walk video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD5f8GuNuGQ
• Privilege Walk questions: https://edge.psu.edu/workshops/mc/power/privilegewalk.shtml
• Johari Window: http://www.xplaner.com/johariwindow/
• Gender & Sexuality from UC Santa Barbara: http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/
overview-sexual-orientations
• Karen McGrane on the CoC: http://karenmcgrane.com/who-experiences-code-of-conduct-
violations/
• WeWorks’ Polaris project: https://medium.com/@tsharon/democratizing-ux-670b95fbc07f
• The Trust Project: https://thetrustproject.org/
• Storyline Ontology: https://www.bbc.co.uk/ontologies/storyline
• Some great resources from Marc Rettig and Hannah duPlessis: https://docs.google.com/
document/d/16PXPdZqbWc0qOEB1v2LLas2SL0UKNn400reI-eqm1eE/edit
References