Update
May 7th, 2005
Busy times for robotperson. No apologies for lack of updates.
Three weeks ago I left my job at Bernard Hodes and joined TMG as an Information Architect. People have asked me what this actually entails and I have two answers: one real and one facetious.
My facetious answer is that being an IA is like that bit at the end of The Matrix when Neo suddenly sees the world as millions of green ones and zeros and understands that everything’s composed of data. I think that this is extremely funny but no-one else seems to have got it so far.
The real answer is that IA’s create the information design of a site in the same way that graphic designers create the look and feel. How the information in a site is arranged, how the processes the users go through are structured, how the buttons are labelled, what elements appear in which pages – these are all a part of a site’s information design.
It’s a job that requires logic and empathy with the users, both of which I can reasonably claim to be good at, and so I think I’m going to enjoy it. But for now I’m running to catch up and this site is not a priority.
Finally,
a quick and long overdue thanks to all of my friends and collegues at Bernard
Hodes. My time there was great fun and my send-off in particular
was a terrific event. Special props to: all in Interactive;
my füssball opponents, my competitors in the fantasy
league; Gareth for the Star Wars themed quiz;
and Noel for the superb job on the t-shirt graphic – (see thumbnail: yes, Noel composited me into an Anakin Skywalker shot).
Finally, thanks to all for the Amazon vouchers: I haven’t spent them
yet, but I’m thinking of buying the Tufte
books (although I
really want to be a Jedi!).