Learning From Others
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Competitive Analysis: Understanding the Market Context
by Jason Withrow | [10 comments]
Just when you thought you fully understood the three circles of information architecture, your assumptions are being challenged again. Withrow comes around with an argument for looking at the context circle differently. more...
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The Guided Wireframe Narrative for Rich Internet Applications
by Andres Zapata | [27 comments]
Wireframes. We’ve all done them. We’ve all had to make sure our clients look at placement, labels, flow, and real estate distribution–but ignore color and design at all costs because, after all, they are wireframes.
AJAX, Laszlo, Flex, and other technologies and techniques that enhance usability challenge the way we think as architects but, more importantly, they also put a larger demand on our deliverables.
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The Art of Project Management
by James Kalbach | [2 comments]
Can project management be an art? Has Berkun truly created a jargon-free guide for the whole project team? Kalbach leads us through the high-level tasks and the major milestones of this new book, while keeping us on task. more...
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The Elements of Style for Designers
by Christina Wodtke | [10 comments]
What if E.B. White had written "Hanging Commas 99% Bad" instead of a gentle list of reminders for young writers? Wodtke outlines how White's list of 22 reminders for writing can be just what young designers need. more...
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Studying the Creation of Kindergarten
by Bill Lucas | [1 comment]
How does the pursuit of one man's interests result in the creation of kindergarten and timeless design principles? Bill Lucas shows us how Friedrich Fröbel took basic elements to create intricate, scalable systems that can serve as a model for creating new experiential systems today. more...
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Transitioning from User Experience to Product Management
by Jeff Lash and Chris Baum | [26 comments]
Part 1 Is there a smart and graceful way to transition into a product manager role? Chris Baum and Jeff Lash talk about the differences between product management and design and increasing your influence. more...
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Design for Emotion and Flow
by Trevor van Gorp | [31 comments]
Trevor van Gorp explains how psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of "flow" can help you design emotional web experiences by cutting through information overload to engage users. more...
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Using Design Games
by Jess McMullin | [8 comments]
Design games offer an alternative to traditional methods for brainstorming, collecting requirements, building team communication, modeling, and prototyping. Jess McMullin shows us how game principles and examples can complement existing methods. more...
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Putting the White Back in Strunk and White
by Christina Wodtke | [6 comments]
Where do we look for standards and guidelines that we can incorporate into our design work? In addition to the canon of trusted advisors, Wodtke reminds us of a teacher and student who created a series of uncommon guidelines that have a lot to teach about web design. more...
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Focus on the Student: How to Use Learning Objectives to Improve Learning
by Wendy Cown | [3 comments]
As information architects we all know how important it is to keep the user in mind. The same is true in teaching IA: we must keep the learner in mind. Learning objectives are one tool to help keep your classes focused on the student. They will also help you develop the syllabus, lesson plans, and assessment methods. more...
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We Are All Connected: The Path from Architecture to Information Architecture
by Fu-Tien Chiou | [6 comments]
We've all seen blueprints--formally known as contract documents--which architects produce and builders use to construct. No one person knows all the details of the design; the end result is entirely a product of teamwork. But there is one axiom: architects do not build. more...
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The Information Architect as Change Agent
by Matthew C. Clarke | [24 comments]
Information architects can do their jobs better if they understand organizational change management. Matthew Clarke offers a primer on change management, and explains how it applies to IA. more...
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It Seemed Like The Thing To Do At The Time
by Joe Lamantia | [19 comments]
Joe Lamantia shares three stories of failure and how changing your self-definition can open the way to continued success. (Part 1 in the Lessons From Failure series.) more...
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Content Strategy: The Philosophy of Data
by Rachel Lovinger | [29 comments]
As interactions proliferate, so does the content that supports them. Why should software professionals take a step back and examine their content from a philosophical perch? Rachel Lovinger takes a look at content strategy and the benefits of its perspectives. more...
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The Trouble With Web 2.0
by Alexander Wilms | [25 comments]
Will Web 2.0 technology and design patterns ever work inside large enterprises? They are jumping on the hype, announcing their own implementation projects. Alexander Wilms looks in-depth at some issues and challenges corporations might face. more...
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Bring Your Personas to Life!
by Zef Fugaz | [15 comments]
Method acting can take your personas from the page to the stage. Think beyond traditional practice to give emotional life to your personas. more...
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Transitioning from User Experience to Product Management
by Jeff Lash and Chris Baum | [7 comments]
Part 2 What will you need to leave behind to enter the wine-and-roses world of Product Management? In Part 2 of this series, Jeff Lash and Chris Baum give us a preview of what's in store for your new role and give us tips on how to prepare. more...
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Setting Up Business Stakeholder Interviews, Part 1
by Michael Beavers | [5 comments]
Gathering business requirements from stakeholders is critical to good design, but setting up quality interviews can be tough. Tossing out the org chart may be the best way to figure out who really wields influence over a company's website. more...
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Long Tails and Short Queries
by Christina Wodtke | [6 comments]
Why haven't we figured out search yet? Amanda Spink talks with Christina Wodtke on why searchers still can't ask a useful question of a search engine, and how Google may be part of the problem rather than part of the solution. more...
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IA Summit 2008, Day 1
by Chris Baum and Jeff Parks | [14 comments]
The IA Summit was held in Miami, FL from April 10-14. Boxes and Arrows captured many of the
main conference sessions.
Check out the presentations
from Saturday, April 12. more...