SIGIA-L Mail Archives: RE: SIGIA-L: Re: The wish they knew disc
RE: SIGIA-L: Re: The wish they knew discussion
From: Robinson, Susan (sjr2_at_cdc.gov)
Date: Fri Jul 07 2000 - 13:49:15 EDT
Here's another set of competencies that could be through into the mix, that
could bring together the "pictures vrs text/structure" and other camps. How
about research competencies?
For example, what research methodologies should be used to inform IA design?
What variables of the user experience should be measured? And how?
How do we interpret & analyze data on these variables?
How should we use our analysis to shape design?
How do conventions of design in the environment at large and in communities
(a la Nielson) interact with research findings/analysis for a particular
task domain or domain of information types?
Check out this research tool .... for example .... www.cpulse.com (speaking
of customer satisfaction measures ... oops that was a while ago.)
P.S. And how soon will IAs in particular domains become SOP due to
conventions?
Susan "The proof is in the pudding" Robinson
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Dornbush [mailto:Robert.Dornbush_at_thinkinc.com]
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2000 11:27 AM
To: 'SIGIA-L_at_asis.org'
Subject: SIGIA-L: Re: The wish they knew discussion
I'd like to bring this discussion back full circle by communicating more
clearly than I did in my first post, which was in response to Doug Hodges
Post below. As someone who came to IA via Graphic Design (6+ yrs. total IT
experience: 4 in Graphics, 2 & 1/2 in Information Architecture) I was
somewhat offended by Hodges "designer bashing commentary":
[my current post follows the re-post of Hodges']
-----Original Message-----
From: Hodges Doug [mailto:doug.hodges_at_nlc-bnc.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2000 9:32 AM
To: sigia-l_at_asis.org
Subject: RE: SIGIA-L: wish they knew [what graphic design students
should learn]
Over the past five years we have employed about 60 students and young
graduates for work on digital projects of various kinds. Some of the
students have had graphics or fine arts backgrounds which they used in
contributing to their team's work. Despite their formal training, usually
there has been a steep learning curve when they come on board. They get
over that, of course, but in reflecting on areas which could be improved, I
think more consistency in the following would help:
- ability to understand users' needs and translate those into the design
given the constraints and advantages which the web imposes / confers.
- readiness to forsake favourite designs or approaches in order to better
meet user needs
- ability to design "tight" graphics (i.e., small filesize) which still
maximize visual appeal and clarity
- ability to use best practices (e.g., W3C accessibility guidelines, using
"web-safe" colours, etc.)
- ability to generalize the design so it will work well with different kinds
of browsers and equipment, and with different settings in the browsers
(insofar as it is humanly possible to do so)
- an understanding of how it all fits together
It almost goes without saying that the artistic process involves discipline,
and if any students do not have that, they need help in achieving it. (I
had an art teacher once who wisely stated that you cannot lay off the work
just because you don't feel inspired --you have to keep going no matter
what).
Overall the most common hurdle is getting the students to realize that even
though the graphics may look spiffy, if they don't download **really** fast
and if the user cannot make sense of them, they are practically worse than
useless.
Doug.
--------------------
doug.hodges_at_nlc-bnc.ca
National Library of Canada
"These opinions are my own and not necessarily those of my employer".
I must admit that my commentary was very much "off the cuff" and I
unintentionally stepped on some toes as well as posting some rather stupid
looking typos and spelling errors. I am not quite the ignorant fool that I
came off as with my "Hey, Dude" commentary, but after all, this is the "Hip"
internet business and not some "Stuffy, Stuffy, and Duffy" Law Firm. [didn't
you guys see The Matrix?]. AND LET ME EXTEND A WARM THANK YOU TO PAUALA
THORNTON, for rescuing me as I was going down in flames!
I wasn't trying to devalue the academic experience [although I must admit
that I find Marijke's rationalization of the value of a rather esoteric
degree a stretch, evangelizing mostly things I learned in a College Prep
high school, and this coming from me, a guy with a rather useless 4yr. BA in
theater and film - which believe it or not does have some useful application
in the IA field].
My point was that to get [acquire and retain the best talent in the
business] good people you either have to hire those "jack of all trades"
types (like most of us) with multiple years experience in many different
aspects of software development, or you hire freshly graduated student types
and remain patient while you engage in some serious on the job training. IA
is a very young field, and while it's true that degree programs specific to
the field do exist, they've only been around for about 3-5 years or less.
Hands-on training is still key, even for those with the specific degree. SO
DON'T go bashing those who come to IA from a Graphic Design
background;instead, be patient and help them evolve to your "jack of all
trades" level. I firmly believe that there would be fewer "user unfriendly"
web experiences out there if Information Architects included some serious
Visual Design Principles of Site Usability through good User Interface
Design. In other words, no matter how clean your data structure, no matter
how clever your taxonomies and labeling systems, if I [the User] look at
your web page and cannot [visually] decipher what to click on or how to get
back where I came from, then your IA is a failure. Having said that, I will
concede (and proudly admit that I practice) that good IA is 60% intelligent
flowcharting and clean structure; however, without an excellent execution of
the remaining 40% you users will certainly get lost!
As far as the Art vs. Commercial Pablum discussion is concerned, don't get
me started. I scoff at those who feel that Painting is fine art while
Photography is 'commercial and mechanical.' I get an ulcer over those who
think that only Ansel Adams' style B & W (large negative) photography is
art, while color photography and (god forbid!) film is mindless fodder for
the masses. I believe that good duplex (apartment) refurbishing is a fine
art {ever appreciate the art of 4" crown molding or a smooth sheet rock
job?}; I believe that high-end TV commercials CAN be fine art. So please,
don't proselytize me over the value of internet development as a fine art; I
aspire to implement that philosophy on the job every day. BUT before you go
bashing the poor Graphic Designers over their visual orientation to
information design and their hesitance to slash their design in the name of
being "commercially viable," (to Doug Hodges) take a look in the mirror and
ask yourself how good you feel about the last time you went live with a
product that wasn't "all that" you hoped it to be due to a myriad of
compromises you were forced to make by clients, kow-towing account reps, and
members of your own team who were always finger pointing and crying "that's
out of scope."
"Beware the Strange Rider on the Pale Horse, His Name was Death and Hell
followed after him."
R2
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