Information architecture is commonly associated with navigation: how people get from one area to another within a digital space. But information architecture deals not just with navigation, but also the underlying conceptual structure of a product. Let’s break that down: Underlying: The structure may not be visible, but guides how…

Theory: The information architecture of products happens at a higher level of abstraction than the IA of web sites, and is therefore harder to recognize, acknowledge, and discuss. When I was a young philosophy major back in 1991, my social philosophy professor asked, “They say it takes one to know…

A new project has me thinking about how digital design has changed over the decades. The shifts I’m thinking about aren’t merely new techniques. They aren’t the occasional yet inevitable calls for eliminating wireframes or personas. Instead they are fundamental changes in how design happens. They are paradigm shifts. One…

To be an information architect is to immerse oneself in tradeoffs: sacrificing one approach or direction for another. When we choose to focus on nouns instead of verbs, or breadth instead of depth, or expert users instead of novice users, we’re making a tradeoff. …

It’s time for me to define what I mean by concept. I’ve dreaded this moment as much as you have. 😉 We use the word “concept” in design usually to mean “big idea” or “potential design direction.” But I’m talking about something else here: the ideas that define a product. …

In the realm of digital products, some cater specifically to the enterprise. As I continue my exploration of Product IA, I’ll focus on these kinds of products because of their acute information architecture challenges. Let’s first define what we mean by “enterprise products.” There are at least three features of…

Critique is the engine of design. To get ongoing feedback on work — structured, meaningful, relevant feedback — is what turns art into design. Designers learn to hear and incorporate feedback on their work dispassionately, with a growth mindset, with an enthusiasm to make the product better. But what happens…

When I posted my previous article on Cross-Cutting Topics, Peter Merholz asked, “How is this different from faceted classification?” Er… I dunno. My professional aim is to contribute tools and ideas to the practice of information architecture. Make use of them as you see fit. In this follow-up I won’t…

In any given domain of information, some topics that cut across every other one. Hence: a cross-cutting topic. In medicine, for example, you have cardiology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and pediatrics, among others. …