This presentation covers a bit of UX history, evolution of the discipline and careers, and addresses the criticality of maintaining information architecture as part of the UX discipline.

1. LongLive
INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE!!!
Darren Hood
UX Uncensored / Kent State University
World IA Day 2020
February 22, 2020

2. About Me
2

3. My Professional Footprint
3

4. 4
Creation of systemic, structural, and orderly
principles to make something work — the
thoughtful making of either artifact, or idea, or
policy that informs because it is clear (Wurman).
1
A design discipline that is focused on making
information findable and understandable
(Morville, Rosenfeld, and Arango).
2
Information architecture (IA) focuses on organizing,
structuring, and labeling content in an effective and
sustainable way. The goal is to help users find
information and complete tasks (usability.gov).
3
What is Information Architecture?

5. IA Timeline
5

6. 6
IA Schools of Thought
(1976 - 1998)
Early IA Mindsets
Richard Saul Wurman
— The design of information (what
actually informs)
Rosenfeld & Morville
— Designing for finding and understanding

7. 7
Early Stages of UX
(1997 - 2007)
UX Career Progression

8. UX History Lesson
8

9. 9
Educational Milestones
Degree
programs
For-profit
learning
centers
Self-study Micro-degree
programs
Online
learning
sources
Mid 90s 2000 2011 2014 2018

10. 10
Information Architect
Interaction Designer
UX Designer
UX Architect
UX Developer Product Designer
Progression of the Discipline
1
2
3
4

11. 1 Information Architecture UnicornsInteraction Design Everybody’s a UXerDesign Thinking
1111
UX Trends Over the Years
1996 1998 2005-2007 2013 2019
IA IA IA IAIA

12. 12
0%
23%
45%
68%
90%
1995 1998 2003 2005 2008 2013 2015 2019
3%
60%
90%
62%
46%
31%
28%
18%
Rise & Fall of IA

13. 13
Bootcamp IA Testimonial
“Regarding IA, some material on the subject
was presented, but there was very little
explanation or theory and no practice was
offered.”
— Bootcamp Attendee

14. 14

15. 15

16. 16
Creates systemic, structural, and orderly principles
to make something work
1
Makes information findable and understandable2
Organizes, structures, and labels content in an
effective and sustainable way to help users find
information, complete tasks, and make decisions
3
Benefits of Information Architecture?

17. 17
Taxonomies FindabilityNomenclature
Grouping. The way
information is
categorized
throughout the
experience.
The ease by which
information and tasks
are found in an
experience.
Labeling. Used for
navigation, throughout
the visual hierarchy,
and calls-to-action.
Information Scents
The establishment of
cues, setting proper
expectation that aids a
user in findability.
Navigation
The wayfinding
mechanisms within an
experience.
10 Elements of Information Architecture
1 2 3 4 5

18. 18
Filtering & Faceting Card SortingSearch
Paring down search
results based on
specified requirements.
A research method
used to validate IA
design direction.
The act of finding
information in an
experience that
matches or is related
to specific criteria
entered by the user.
Inline Links
Hot-linked text in a
sentence or paragraph
that provides a simple
way to access related
information.
Content Strategy
Efforts to manage and
optimize the
information presented
on a site to ensure its
value, consistency,
and relevance.
10 Elements of Information Architecture
6 7 8 9 10

19. 19
• Information architecture has been a critical part of the
UX discipline dating back to the dot-com-bust days.
• Usability, interaction design, and research are all
directly connected to any IA efforts.
• The advent of the UX bootcamps and MOOC
learning solutions is parallel with a massive decline in
several critical UX methods and methodologies,
including information architecture.
• If users have difficulty finding information and
completing tasks, all UX efforts will fail.
• For the good of the discipline and the benefit of users
and stakeholders, UX professionals must embrace IA.
Closing Remarks

20. 20
Information Architecture Resources

21. 21
@uxuncensored
thankyou.