Sunday, 10:45am, Continental Ballroom
Information Architects have an opportunity to structure and evolve their own work environment. There is potential to influence where they work, who they work with, the type of work they do and who they do work for. As a freelance IA consultant,
there can be a lot of flexibility, but also a lot of uncertainty. Creating boundaries that help define the work we do and how we do it can be difficult, and these boundaries change as the field changes and as we as IAs mature.
This panel will discuss what it is like to create ones own work environment - the motivation for taking this entrepreneurial path, what it has been like, what we’ve learned, the ups and downs of such a work life. There will be lots of time for the
audience to ask questions and make comments.
The panelists range in experience, including someone who is new to freelance IA work, someone who has been doing freelance for more than a decade, someone who has taken on employees in his own company, and someone who joined
forces with other partners to start a consulting agency.
Here are the panelists along with a brief description of what they will focus on:
#1 - She has been doing freelance for over a decade and continually reflects on ”what’s next?” — In the beginning work was all about establishing oneself in the industry and building a professional brand - “who am I as an IA and why would
someone bring me into a project vs the IA down the street?” Lately the focus has been on how to grow the business while maintaining some of the aspects of consulting that are so endearing.
#2 - She has just started her adventure into the world of freelance. She will discuss why she made the move, pros and cons and how she’s shaping her own work.
#3 - He is an information architect and serial entrepreneur who runs a boutique design studio in [location] and develops several products and companies every year. He will discuss what it is like moving from solo freelance to growing the
business, and the business through the creation of ones own products
#4 - He is one of several partners of in a successful UX agency. He will talk about what it was like to start a business with partners and how it worked to transition from solely a partnership to expanding to include employees. He will focus on the
decision to go into business with partners, how to create a work environment that has helped him succeed, and how things have changed as the business has grown.
Target Audience: Primary: anyone interested in understanding how freelance and consulting IA practices are created and managed. Secondary: any IA
Justification: This topic is of interest to many in the IA field. It can sometimes be challenging to find ways for advancement within large companies when on the UX track. Starting and running your own business is a viable option for many of
us. For those who choose to stay within large companies, there is still a lot to be learned from freelance entrepreneurs about interacting with a business.
The panelists are all individuals who have multiple years practicing Information Architecture and all are qualified to talk about starting and running their own business.