The object of information architecture
In my job at the Scottish Government, we are understanding the opportunities that can be provided by following an object-oriented approach to structuring our information.
Recent posts
There’s no such thing as a technology problem
Information has become the forgotten half in “information technology”. Tech companies are struggling because they aren’t focusing on the human problems they need to solve.
A plea for the lost practice of information architecture — ↗
I was sad to learn earlier that Vicky Teinaki has died. Vicky had been a designer for a few different government departments and public sector organisations.
I didn’t know her well. But I have read her blog posts for years, and I was delighted to encounter her in meetings about structured information since I joined the civil service a few months ago. I was struck by how she demonstrated both fresh thinking and wisdom.
Just a few days after I started in my information architecture role at the Scottish Government, she published this excellent article about the discipline.
It serves multiple purposes expertly. It is a comprehensive but concise history of information architecture, tracking its major milestones over the past 20 years.
Vicky argued that information architecture had become diminished when it got absorbed into user experience, and then got forgotten entirely when it suddenly became easy to churn out high-fidelity visual prototypes without tackling underlying structural decisions.
The post is also an incredible bibliography of key information architecture resources. I have turned to this blog post numerous times over the past six months, and I know I will continue to do so.
Information grade — Potentially useful concept
A perspective on the similarities and differences between information, data, content and knowledge.
I found some very vintage but surprisingly pristine litter in Morningside a few weeks ago.
My eye was drawn by the Savacentre branding (not a thing any more).
I was surprised to discover that this partial leaflet dates from spring 1990.
Unfortunately the coupons are no longer valid.
You can now follow me on Bluesky: @duncanstephen.net.
As with my other social media accounts, its main purpose will be to let my followers know when I have posted something on my blog. But if you’re on Bluesky, feel free to follow me there.
While you’re at it, check out the other ways you can follow me and my blog. My favourite way is RSS.
Our flag in the sand — How to escape the desert of user needs by integrating agile and user experience
I have long been an advocate of agile ways of working. One of the things that originally drew me to user experience was the opportunity to have evidence-based ways of understanding the changes you need to make. So I was surprised whenever I encountered people who believed that user experience methods ran counter to the principles of agile.
Happy Halloween. May your CMS be headless.
Another fresh start
I have decided to refresh my approach to blogging (yet again). There are a couple of main drivers for this.
Find your dream job by letting go of the title
Every discipline feels hard done by in the current climate. But looking beyond your own discipline could help you get your next role.
Reflecting on two years as a user experience consultant; looking ahead to working on structured content
The latest chapter in my career has closed, as I have found an incredibly exciting new opportunity. But the past couple of years have given me a lot to reflect on.
Getting to the root causes of usability errors and accessibility problems — User Vision ↗
Perception–Cognition–Action (PCA) analysis is a method of uncovering the root causes of usability errors and accessibility challenges in systems. By understanding these underlying issues, designs can be enhanced in order to avoid hazardous situations and cater to a wide array of user needs.
The approach is particularly recommended for medical devices, and is described in the international standard IEC 62366 on the application of usability engineering to medical devices. But this powerful technique can go so much further than that. It can help us understand how to improve usability and accessibility for a wide range of products.
My article for the User Vision website describes how the Perception–Cognition–Action approach works, how it aligns with established accessibility best practice, and how we at User Vision have applied it to transform a complex medical system used by both patients and healthcare practitioners.
I will also be speaking about the technique at this week’s UX Edinburgh meetup, which is an accessibility special in recognition of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. If you are around on Thursday 16 May at 18:30, it would be great to see you there.