Comments on: Programming for Information Architects

By: Andrei

Andrei — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“user interface design has nothing to do with coding…”

Then I guess one could also say that designing a house has nothing to do with wood, steel, pipes, soil and concrete.

Andrei

By: Laurel

Laurel — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It depends what you mean by code. I can’t code, I design websites with XHTML transitional, which as we all know is markup.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think when people say “UI design has nothing to do with code”, that they really mean “UI designs should not be restricted by assumptions about what can and cannot be done with code: design it right and figure out how to build it.” In most cases, that purist attitude is a luxury, as we all know.

Laurel is correct: there are types of interface design that aren’t “programming” in the sense that I’ve been talking about. But even if you’re building a site in MoveableType, some of the concepts I describe (conditions, loops) are useful to understand.

By: Kyle Pero

Kyle Pero — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

>>>>>
one last thing: “…Has anybody ever worked with a “web designer” that doesn’t know how to write one line of code?”
yea. of course. i think those are the best web designers you can get, because their ideas are not contaminated and bounded to their own smattering. those are the people that push IAs and Coders further and further. those are the people that keep us trying to reach and delay technical boarders. …
>>>>>

- WOW! Jan, that’s an amazing statement. “Those people”, as you like to refer to them, are the reason why IA’s and usability professionals exist. I agree with you that “they” are creative, but unfortunately “they” don’t have the understanding of creating usable and intuitive web interfaces while pushing the envelope at the same time.

This is just my opinion.

By: Kyle Pero

Kyle Pero — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is just my opinion.

By: RegularFoot

RegularFoot — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think it has to do with how abstract you want or need to be. Does a carpenter need to know metallurgy because he uses nails? How much about programming does an IA need to know? Assembler? Does a programmer need to know solid state physics because her code will eventually lead to electrons moving through transistors? Where do you draw the line?

By: Kyle Pero

Kyle Pero — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“Where do you draw the line? ”

I think IA’s as well as usablility professionals in general should know at least front-end coding. I think it’s crazy to get involved in back-end database and/or object-oriented programming… leave all that to the developers.

I think at a bare minimum I would like an IA to know/understand how to do CSS, HTML, and even some familiarity with client-side programming (java script).

I will say this: I expect a usability professional to know much, much more about code than an IA. BUT, I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t have to wear 10 different hats at work. If a company has a person completely dedicated to JUST IA then I guess coding, in that case, isn’t as important.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“I think it’s crazy to get involved in back-end database and/or object-oriented programming… leave all that to the developers.”

But for better or worse, that’s the stuff I’ve found I need to know more about to do my job well. Front-end stuff is nice, and it’s true that everyone does everything these days. But knowing about database design and back-end programming can really help when you propose a content organization scheme, or that a project make use of a controlled-vocab, or something more sophisticated.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I didn’t mean that designing a controlled vocabulary implies you should know how to code the back-end. I meant that when you arrive on a project and say, “hey, we need a controlled vocabulary,” often programmers who haven’t implemented one before either won’t get it, or won’t take you seriously unless you can explain it in terms they understand. (That’s a generalization, of course.) How do queries to the database make use of the CV? When do they refer to it?

If you’re planning a complex navigation system, perhaps a faceted system, explaining it in database terms can clarify it for a part of the team that probably has never heard of facets before. If you can basically grasp how the flamenco system is built (see http://bailando.sims.berkeley.edu/flamenco/howtobuild/howtobuild.html) , you’ll be able to get your design approved that much more easily.

By: kyle pero

kyle pero — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“…explain it in terms they understand.”
I can see what you mean now. I think that’s valid.