When you start to need IA

Rashmi's comment about outgrowing Basecamp reminded me (with just a bit of schadenfreude) of the IA Summit 2006 buz about how 37 Signals didn't think they would ever need an IA. I wasn't too worried at the time - look, they are doing software design, and they shouldn't necessarily need an IA.

I think Rashmi's issue points out when you do start to need an IA - when the content itself gets large and complex, and when it needs to be created and found by separated people. Now, Basecamp needs some basic info architecture only - to decide what needs the created content will typically have and what tools will help access it. And they need to decide the additions of these access tools will break the simplicity of the tool.

Other thought implied - there may still be a space where the code never needs IA. If web 2.0 is about "small tools, loosely joined", then those small tools need to be IA-independant. It's the joining part - the microformats - where the IA lives.

Hmm, or maybe not. I'll have to mull and then update this.

Make things!

eTech season brought the annual visitation of Mikek and his fiance' Liz (soon to have a doctorate in information from Berkeley! How cool is that?).

We had a great time, as usual, catching up on life changes and telling many subtle stories about people we all knew long ago. Karl was pretty miffed at the way he was being ignored. He even had the self-awareness to tell us "I want some attention!"

But when he was going to bed, I did manage to explain why he should be happy to have Mike come visit. "He does the stuff you want to. He makes big things, and robots," I said. Karl was dumbstruck.

Maybe we should get him a subscription to Make, and he can work for ThingM when he grows up...

Karl, at Soccer

Karl_Soccer
Originally uploaded by scottandrea.

Karl can be intense

Evelyn, more than a year ago

Ev_sailor
Originally uploaded by scottandrea.

She wants long hair now, like Mom and Dad. I'm bummed.

Next year...

I'm thrilled with the theme for the IA Summit next year, "Experiencing Information". I like it, because I often feel that tactile connection with the information I work with.

But the most important question is whether we can work with AIGA to sponsor an occasional conference - Designing the Information eXperience?

Please?

Hello World

I have been shamed, finally, into creating a voice for me, and for the family, so all our distant friends can hear us.

It may be a bit of IA stuff from me, a bit of Space stuff from Scott. But expect a lot of kids and family content, and probably cars and old radios and dogs.

Wish us luck,
Drea