11 things a student learned from World IA Day Manila
I cut my accounting class to attend this event sooo it wouldn’t be nice if I didn’t learn anything. I’m writing this so I don’t forget the learnings, and maybe consolidate what other people learned too.
Here are the nuggets of wisdom I picked up from all of the speakers:
1. Communicate your content based on your user’s mental model
Always speak your user’s language. Talk to them and understand their context. Design IA according to the best way you can represent content.
2. Treat your users like they’re going to be your soul mates
Parang pagmamahal lang yan. Court them, but don’t assume they’ll buy you. Pacing is important in terms of generating leads. I thought of the use of push notifications for this.
3. Foster a community around your product
Rizal Library truly espouses this, I’m a sophomore from Ateneo so I can confirm. Users aren’t just a buzzword, they’re real people. Design to take away their pain points and care for them: even if they’re your employees.
4. Go for small wins, drop your ego and let the entire team own it
These are three things I remembered if you want to induce a UX and human-centered design culture in your organization. Also, ask your CEO to attend a UX event, you’ll be happy you did!
5. Learn to collaborate with the government
Their teams severely need user researchers, UX designers, service designers, and usability specialists on board. Made me think about what I really want in the future. But yeah, we all want to be capitalists and work for private companies. It’s hard to give that up for your government, especially if you don’t see results. But who’s going to do it if you don’t?
6. Let your data do the storytelling and unveil the big picture
This revealed to me how data visualization is very important in giving perspective to issues that the country faces. Whether it’s descriptive, explanatory, or predictive forms of data representation, we cannot underestimate its importance and how it establishes trust and credibility.
7. Data can save lives; you don’t need an impending calamity to happen before you openly share it
Act fast, make things happen and you might be able to “inspire” the government to be more transparent with their data. Open source not only induces technological progress, it can also save lives. It’s better to prevent disasters from happening so a sense of urgency, or more importantly, a sense of purpose is needed to stimulate action. Also, maps are cool. Prepositioning humanitary aid with the use of maps is even more cool.
8. Don’t waste your time, helping in little ways go a long way
Limit Netflix binging. Try to take up a cause or advocacy instead, and do what it takes to get it out there. Civic participation in the Philippines should get better. We are all actively involved in helping our country progress, so let’s all do our parts.
9. Friends in high places matter
Especially when you need that elusive data. It’s all about forming relationships with people, and that isn’t a skill easily learned. So my takeaway is to provide value to them when you connect.
10. Join more communities
Beyond the skills, theories, and tech stuff, it’s all about influence and making real social impact. And we can only achieve something if we move as a community. That’s the best piece of wisdom I got. Also, extend the passion to the youth.
11. Use storytelling, it’s powerful
More than using it when pitching to investors, it gets the ball rolling and makes decisions easier to make. Rhetoric will be your weapon to get things approved.
Overall, superb event
Congratulations to Angela Obias and B Tuban for a successful run of IA day! The varied talks offered a lot of perspective and refreshing points of view on topics that mattered.
The speakers on the other hand gave justice to the value of information architecture.
A Space Manila was also a nice venue with colorful paintings and a homey vibe to it.
Finally, it was nice seeing everyone from the web design and UX community, hello everyone!
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