The Information Architect/Interaction Design field is awash in web sites and discussion lists, though the former are (unfortunately) significantly more worthwhile than the latter. The lists are constantly filled with requests for ‘best practices’ around the simplest of interface issues (e.g., “Should I put my text above or to the left of a form field?”), seemingly endless debates on ‘what is IA?’ and, most recently, an impressively daft call—based solely on anecdotal evidence—for IAs to pursue accreditation. It is enough to make you ‘want to tear out (your) eyeballs,’ as one of my coworkers recently put it.
On the rare occasions that someone does offer up a solution they created for a project, responses typically range from “It’s not that great” to “How dare you suggest that’s the right answer for all users!” It makes for a nice distraction on a slow work day but the problem is that all the arguing is getting us nowhere. Debates only serve to pull IAs away from the real work to be done: improving customer experience online.
My theory is that all of this stems ultimately from a need for reassurance coupled with a crippling fear of being wrong and blended with a belief that there exists a set of ‘right’ answers out there, waiting to be found. Like the unicorn, basselope and ever-elusive snipe, this is a myth too long perpetuated.
So, fellow architects of information and designers of interaction, I have a modest proposal for you: unsubscribe. Leave the lists, now, today, this hour, this minute—and don’t look back. Stop worrying about what Joe IA in Ohio is doing with his forms for his customers and come up with solutions that are right for your customers—be willing to fail and to learn from that failure. Do it better next time. Stop focusing on your needs and put that energy toward the needs of your customers.
If you work alone and need a mentor, visit the sites for AIFIA or IxDA and ask about mentoring programs. Go to meet ups. Find groups on Facebook. Send out a friendly email to an IA blogger you admire and ask them for advice. Better yet: write a blog of your own! Build a network of peers and advisors—but do it outside the cacophony of the field’s discussion lists. Present a white paper or demo a prototype at a conference. Develop your own point of view on hot topics in the field and don’t be afraid to disagree with popular opinion. Just always, always do what’s best for your customers.
Learn by doing, not by talking.
Written by Gabby Hon
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http://www.chaosscenario.com Cam Beck
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http://www.itsjustbrent.com Brent Dixon
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http://www.indirectomanipulation.com Kel Smith
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http://adjustafresh.com Scott
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http://kipbot.com/blog/2008/02/13/god-i-hope-thats-not-what-i-do/ kip/bot/blog » God I hope that’s not what I do
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Cynthia
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http://atomiq.org Gene
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Dave
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http://www.everydayux.com/2008/02/13/getting-lost-in-semantics-what-do-we-do/ EverydayUX » Blog Archive » Getting lost in semantics: what do we do?
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http://counternotions.com Kontra
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http://www.insightmethods.com Alok Jain
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gabby
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Lindsay Ellerby
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http://www.portigal.com/blog/chittahchattah-quickies-197/ All This ChittahChattah » ChittahChattah Quickies
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http://www.criticalmass.com/ Scott Weisbrod





