Key Topics Survey Results

Including...

Additional topics
Any other topics

Question #1

Our goal for the 2006 IA Summit is to draw both novice AND experienced practitioners by positioning the summit as a conference "About Information Architecture" AND "For Information Architects." This allows us to provide the bread and butter IA content for newcomers while adding advanced topics that are relevant to IA practitioners but are not necessarily part of core IA. So, we need your help to identify key topics of strategic interest to the IA community.

Results

This summary (based on data from 129 respondents) presents the key topics in ranked order from most important to least important. You may also download the data in MS Excel or Tab Delimited Text formats.

Information Design
Interaction Design
Strategic Planning
Usability (Research & Testing)
Behavioral Research
UX Management
Search Optimization
Business Design
Semantic Web
Web Standards
Internationalization & Localization
Philosophies of Web Design
Visualization
Quantitative Analysis
Social Software
Management (Individuals Teams)
Cultural Change & Impact
Consulting Practice
Instructional Design
Simulations / Modeling
Project Management
Marketing
Ubiquitous Computing
Backend Architecture (Tools Engines Servers)
Identity & Identities
Object-Oriented Design
Social Impact of Persistent Online Worlds
Immersive Environments
Convergence (Education & Entertainment)
Open Source
Politics & Democracy
Video Games
Media Scholarship & Journalism
Transformational Living

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Question #2

Please suggest additional key topics for consideration.

Results

49 Total Respondents

Firmwide Information Architecture (- more practical than Lou's diagram - ie. the steps he outlines in his diagram: how some of that is done, best practices, case studies etc) 2. How IA supports KM NB. not sure what: - immersive environments are - transformational living is
faceted classification usability of metadata
Adaptation, Intelligent Agents, Aesthetics, Emotional Design
Missing some old favorites: library techniques (like thesaurus construction and facet analysis), content management issues. I'd also like to see more on the intersection of information architecture and consumer electronics product design. Finally, the IA community needs to accept its navelgazing tendencies. The summit should consider including some more philosophical topics, like linguistics, social philosophy, and epistemology.
Shared references. Taxonomies. Controlled vocabularies. War stories. IA as it relates to e-learning.
group facilitation prototyping
content management
Web site A-Z indexes, site maps
Standardisation of IA community vocabulary
Instead of Object-Oriented design, perhaps we could call it Design Patterns (unless that's not what you're referring to when you say OO design).
taxonomy/ontology
rich internet applications
Content modeling for migration of existing information (e.g., corporate Web or Intranet sites) to content management systems -- process, template examples, etc.
IA view of rich internet applications and how to balance usability vs. accessibility for applications delivered over the web - may also include a look at the role of the IA in structuring alternative experiences e.g. linearising richer applications
government consulting, guerilla IA
Practical pre-conference workshops like Dan Brown's are useful. Ethics of Information Architecture -- this was articulated as a need by the 2005 keynote speakers and was brought home by Grant Campbell's talk on Alzheimers. Why do we do what we do?
I am a user experience research consultant. Last year I left the conference still not knowing what is metadata, controlled vocabularies, folksonomy and other basic concepts. Although I understand the dictionary definition of them and can tell you what they mean, I don't understand contextually what they are and how they can affect the services I provide my clients. I did attend a few sessions on these things, but they were not at a beginner level of 'what these things are and why you should care'. I did attend the 1/2 day session of Introduction to IA. I think it would be appropriate to introduce those concepts in that session. I would also be interested in research design and/or research methodologies. How do my quantitative analyses fit in with qualitative analyses? How do others prepare and present research findings via deliverables?
I think some tidbits related to backend and project management would be a better understanding of the application development lifecycle and how it relates to IA...also the product development lifecycle....and all of their overlaps. Including how managers can seamlessly work with Business and Engineering through the process. In some way we still have a silo effect with search, taxonomy, metadata, ux(graphic/interaction/information design)...can someone pull it together to show project/business/technical impact when these aspects are siloed? A session where there is hands on scenarios/skits on how to 'talk' business or techie. Based on real world examples of how to appraoch interacting with groups outside of IA/UX. Metadata/searching: text/photos/sound/video...someone looks over the progress of auto-metadata application to such media as sound and video.
1. Metadata, taxonomy, and the implications of folksonomy/tagsonomy on IA. 2. Selling enterprise IA.
'Marketing' seems inconsistently broad when compared to the other options. I'd like to see some breakdown with 'Marketing' (landing page usability, a look at scenarios where someone would come to a particular site several times, etc.)
* Methodologies - Agile & User Centered Design * Peripheral d+isciplines and their *working* relationship to IA - e.g. Business analysis, strategy, design, usability engineering (*please* - no more 'what are we' discussions - let's show how IA's work with other disciplines practically)
hypertext as a still emerging context for information design, IA for prodcuts and services (i.e., info products that come with IA documentation so that buyers can better evaluate what they are getting)
particpatory design, design research, 'innovation', design education, content, content, content
Design Communication (Deliverables), Content Management
Professional development Change Management
Selling UX
Enterprise Metadata Management, Enterprise Architecture (including Business Architecture, Solution Architecture, Information Modeling, and Technology Architecture); E-Government
Extranets Intranets Collaborative Product Development User-centric organizations (see 'Innovating IT: Transforming IT From Cost Crunchers to Growth Drivers' by Lior Arussy)
Change Management, Design Strategy and Business Strategy Alignment, Recruiting, Team Building, Practice Development
The creative process: design's core expertise: creativity: to further explore implicit factors in design such as Peter Merholz's 'And Then a Miracle Occurs' or 'I think you need to be a little bit more explicit here in step two'
how best to balance info design for both novice users and intermediate/advanced users. eg: the struggle in having new users input email addresses correctly without dumbing down an application so much as to frustrate or make advanced users wary.
Convergence of multi modal devices with the web (ipod/phones/palms/web)
Internal search (separate from SEO) Taxonomies and thesaurus development Folksonomies
--Information architecture as it relates to architecting workflow for information workers --The information architecture of successful online communication --Does 'architecting information' have anything to do with 'managing content'? If so, what? --Is
Rich Internet Applications with non-proprietary tools (ie not a Macromedia based approach)
Some of these I can't even figure out what they would talk about. Politics & Democracy? I always feel there's a big lack of truly advanced instruction in IR and authority control. Query expansion, data dirty-ness. How to handle information retrieval in spite of data quality issues. Application of controlled vocabularies and technology -- topic maps, xML, etc. The taxonomy classes have been WAY to basic for my situation. Check out Seth Earley's advanced class, 'Session 4- Technical Integration of Taxonomies.' http://www.earley.com/events_success.htm?. I'm not saying this is the perfect class, but it's more what I'm thinking of. The instructors so far have been very basic and don't even seem to know much about the more intense side of things (managerially and technologically). Reporting. Data warehousing. Change management.
Cultural, usability, behavioral, and translation vs. localization ... and how to merge these audience-centric factors with product design (engineering) and business goals (sales and marketing). I am particularly interested in these areas for software application development (as opposed to Web site development). I am also interested in usability in terms of 'sophistication' coupled with 'immediately easy to operate' (not quite so much repeatability learning), as our primary audience for selling is physicians, neurologists and neonatologists, but the equipment has to be simple enough for nurses to use ... there can't be a lot of thought/difficulty involved because nurses must be familiar with literally hundreds of different types of equipment, including software-driven equipment that may only be used once every three months or so on critical cases). In regard to translation vs. localization, corporations with big budgets typically go the full gamet (localization), but companies like the one I work for (under 100 employees, but sell products internationally) often only have budget for tranlsation (native translator, native proofer, then incorporate, verify that everything looks good and release). I would be interested in approaches to better streamline, manage, and focus on usability of translated applications for smaller budget organizations like this. So, all that said ... anything that can be focused with 'on a small budget' is ideal for companies like mine. And I truly mean 'small budget' ... the recent STC 2005 conference had a seminar on 'usability testing on a tight budget' and their tight budget was $5K! This type of budget is never seen at my company. As a result, we've conducted usability testing on budgets under $600 ... excluding personnel salaries.
Techniques for designing RIAs
Industrial Design Mobile Device Design (UX for Mobile)
Where do experiences IAs go if they don't want to get into management.
big IA, little ia
- IA standards (documentation, vocabulary, training/certification) - Building IA/UX practice within your organization/communicating IA/UX to business users and collegues - IA and web strategy - boundries and career oportunities - IAs and Business Analy
Taxonomy Development Categorization Site Structure
Web site A-Z indexes as supplements to web wite search engines.
XML tutorials Semantic Web tutorial
True indexing of large websites.
Esthetics on the web: when all things are equal, the better looking site (more artistic) is better. As a comparison; the Chrysler building is a better skycraper then most of the NY skycrapers because it has good looks and its efforts in 'the race to the top' where completely irrational, but very inspiring
there's already far too many
Taxonomies/ontologies/folksonomies IA and KM Research in IA

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Question #3

Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding the 2006 IA Summit?

Results

40 Total Respondents

The 2005 Summit was a day too long. And please make sure the 2007 Summit is somewhere warm and sunny.
Haven't been to one before - next year's will be my first so no comments/suggestions from me!
Thanks
Last year, there was a LOT of redundancy. While I understand the need for some redundancy, there was an awful lot of repitition. Might be interesting to have theme periods, e.g. Saturday morning are ubi comp sessions, etc.
More 'structured free time' to network/talk shop. This is a group of people that likes doing stuff together. Social events that aren't dinner or drinking. It sounds cheesy, but maybe group tours of the host city?
Please don't destroy the only *IA* conference by diluting it with a load of stuff that belongs elsewhere. IA hasn't evolved far enough yet to stop talking about it.
1.5 hour sessions. 1 panel or 2 45-minute 'long talks' or 3 30-minute 'short talks' (and maybe even 6 15-minute REALLY SHORT talks if they are all related). Must have moderators for talks to keep them on track. Fewer, better presentations instead of longer days, more days, lots of iffy presentations.
The third day this year was an awesome addition. Start later in the morning with a plenary; finish later in the day.
While this may sound crass, free alcohol will be a key success factor.
I went to the IA Summit in Austin--best conference I've ever attended. I have problems getting employer support for conferences outside the U.S. and was unable to attend the 2005 IA Summit. Looks like I'll have that problem again in 2006. Any chance that 2007 can be in the U.S.?
Consider a summit in Europe for 2007
Perhaps make it clear which topics are beginner versus advanced (and don't have an in-between category).
I'd like there to be more structured events for mixing experienced IAs with novice IAs and everyone in-between. Maybe as simple as asking experienced IAs to make an effort to start up conversations with folks who seem new or intimidated.
Last year was my first year at the IA Summit, so I am a beginner. I am THRILLED that you are thinking about us beginners and developing seminars for our needs. I learned so much last year. I plan to return again next year!
Please try to rate the talks according to novice/advance. Also some kind of 'suggestion' for tracks for a novice...ala amazon recommended books...do something like if you're interested in this talk, maybe you'd be interested in this one too. I hope this helps!
I think there's a real need for programs and presentations aimed at the intermediate practitioner--someone who's not a novice but isn't at an expert level yet either, i.e. those of us who fill the trenches in the largest numbers (I think). Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
Why is scheduled in Canada, again?
Make sure it's wheelchair accessible!
We seem to hear a lot of the same speakers each year, and as a result, a lot of the same subject matter gets re-heated as a different dish. I think a focus on how working IA's solve problems within teams, what new ideas they've applied successfuly and where they look to for inspiration and motivation. Given the amount of IA work going on right, I think novices and advanced practitioners might appreciate more grounded examples of work in action. Let's be sure to introduce some of the more forward looking subjects, but let's make sure it can be grounded in some practical application .... For exmaple, I see ubi-comp as a specific subject above, but software methodologies is missing. As a working IA, I have to live with software dev methodologies (or the lack of them) everyday whereas ubi-comp is something I'm unlikely to ever touch. If I really wanted to learn about ubi-comp, I'd go to another design conference that really has some ability to talk about it. Thanks!
I'd like to see less 'internal' discussions and more attempts to bridge our practice with the content providers and design strategists folks out there. I'd also like to see more 'librarian' and ideas from the academic world presented. I don't want to hear our web design is broken and don't want to hear discussions about building the IA/UX community. more info on the ideas and people behind http://www.plos.org/ http://scholar.google.com/ http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct/info/linking
Posters - YAY! Less 'look what I did! Isn't it great?' presentations. I don't learn much from these unless they focus on the challenges that were overcome or bring a new process to the table. Please ensure vegitarians are not just an afterthought this year... :-)
Fewer conflicting topics! Would rather have fewer but better topics. did like the choice between either a long two-part session or two single sessions.
Let's not have a a pre-conference seminar for advanced IA topics (or at least let's present it better). Isn't the conference supposed to be displaying advanced IA topics? Why then a special seminar? I felt that the seminar was excluding the IA community from important IA topics. Perhaps the seminar was going into depth that the conference could not. It would be comforting to know that whatever topic was presented at the seminar was included, at least in a less depth fashion, in the main conference. I didn't have this comfort-level at the 2005 IA Summit.
Who is on the committee?
I really wished there had been some kind of panel or discussion or BOF directed at people who manage a team of IAs (the only session in Montreal that contained the word 'management' turned out to be a 'how to get ahead in your career' session). Strategic and tactical management techniques - how to get people to adhere to company documentation standards, how to foster employee development day-to-day, etc.
Be inclusive and less clique-y. Make an effort to host events in the evening that are not just reunions of former coworkers.
Most of the above topics seem to be more 'for information architects.' Newcomers interested in learning 'about information architecture' don't have the background to put these interesting topics into the context of IA. I spoke to a lot of newcomers at previous summits and they always feel a little lost. They seem to want to understand the fundamentals: deliverables, IA project life cycles, how get started in IA, etc.
The committee should try to facilitate the dissemination of practice through case study sessions and strengthen the knowledge base by encouraging research-based theory sessions.
I think you need some attention to the way IA as a discipline is or should be involved with content management.
I'm an italian ia. Here in Europe and especially in Italy, ia is basically an extraterrestrial discipline. I would appreciate special conditions (i.e low prices)for people coming from states without a real culture of ia. This is fundumental to spread the word here. I'm plannig to partecipate the next year and to talk with Peter Van Djick about Global Ia and the italian condition. Thank you
A track for government information projects which will bring together IAs who work in e-government at various levels - local, state, federal or national.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide additional topics and feedback.
Vancouver sounds great, but how about having the 2007 Summit somewhere warm?
see ya there!
I'm looking forward to it.
where on earth did you get this list?
yes
I'd like to attend.
Thanks for doing this survey. As a practitioner who has attended a few IA Summits, I thought the 2005 Summit was the best ever. Had the perfect balance of academics and practitioners. I love Adaptive Path and hope to see lots of presentations from them in 2006. It would be great to see other agencies jump into the fray as well. Now if you could just convince your presenters to a) not just read from their Powerpoint deck, and b) show screencaps that are large enough to be legible, and contain enough non-confidential info to be instructive... Thanks again for all your hard work on this conference.
Invite more Europeans

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