2017 IA Summit
The 2017 IA Summit was the Year of the Taxonomists as a number of world class speakers took to the podium to explore how to humanize information architecture, embrace the algorithm, and harness the powers of linked data to create robust ontologies.
Opening Keynote
Alan Cooper’s illustrious career in the design field includes writing a number of books such as the wonderful The Inmate Are Running the Asylum. In the opening keynote for the 2017 IA Summit he shares how his experiences running a farm in California have informed his design practices.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/ranch-stories/
Video
What’s the Point of IA
Dan Ramsden asks the information architecture community to take a deep introspective look at the meaning we create in the world around us. Using a framework he challenges us to reflect on the implications of our practice and how much influence it has.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/whats-point-information-architecture/
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Intentional Intensional Information Architecture
Information architecture is built on constructing meaning in the digital environment. Dorian Taylor examines how tools like linked data can be used to imbue meaning by relating similar concepts with each other.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/intentionally-intensional-information-architecture/
Video
https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/dorian-taylor/
Web Site
How the World Health Organization Transformed a Folksonomy of 27,000 Terms into a Tightly Controlled Vocabulary
It is tempting when working with content management systems to allow users to tag content using their own data models. Unfortunately this eventually devolves into chaos which makes discovery and structured content difficult. In this case study Adam Ungstead presents how he was able to transform a folksonomy of 27,000 terms into a controlled vocabulary and tame the mess.
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Day One keynote
In the closing keynote for the first day of the Summit Susan Kare takes a retrospective look at her career and the lessons learned in decades of design. Her experience should be an encouragement for all designers whether they are seasoned professionals or just breaking into the field.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/from-personal-to-personable/
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https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/keynotes/
Web Site
Day Two Opening Keynote
The age of the algorithm is transforming the way that information is processed and consumed. Elizabeth Churchill explores the role of the information architect in a world where not even the most productive information professional can manage everything manually. What aspects of artificial intelligence should we embrace to keep up with the changing digital landscape?
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/people-ai-mindset/
Video
https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/keynotes/
Web Site
Designing for Values-based Information Seeking
Using health care as a framing device the panel of four explores how to help make informed decisions. What can user experience designers do to structure and present choices so that people can weigh them against their own values? How much should we force people down a path versus letting them have the freedom of choice?
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/designing-values-based-information-seeking/
Video
https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/vivian-bliss-joseph-busch-susan-golden/
A Taxonomist, a Software Engineer, and a UX Researcher Walk Into a Bar
Etsy is a service which allows people to both sell and purchase hand crafted products. In this case study a panel of three walks through how they worked with stakeholders such as sellers to construct a discovery interface to makes it easier to people to find the products they want. Their experience can help anyone else with improving discovery in large scale systems.
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Structured Data for the Digital Community
Microformats can be a powerful tool for keeping context when content is disseminated on social platforms. Jacques Bouchard shows how to harness the power of metadata for use on Twitter, Facebook, and other places outside the control of our own ecosystems.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/structured-data-digital-community/
Video
https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/jacques-bouchard/
Taxonomic Irony: What I Think About When I Think About Taxonomies
Bob Kasenchak takes information architects on a journey through the taxonomy of taxonomies in this presentation. Whether they are small scale navigation taxonomies for wayfinding or large scale enterprise taxonomies for discovery (such as Getty) his metataxonomy helps anyone make sense of structured data.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/taxonomic-irony-think-think-taxonomies-including-meta-taxonomy/
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“Was Nate Silver wrong? Click here for why!” The Crisis of Modeling in an Era of Clickbait, Truthiness, and Fake Content
In a world where the trustworthiness of information is at stake how can information architects construct impartial systems which do not assign value or judgement. Was Nate Silver wrong about the 2016 election or was it just a reflection of something deeper? Bram Wessell challenges the community to consider how to break through filter bubbles without negatively prejudicing the environments we build.
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All Roads Lead to the Bathroom
The most common question at any reference desk, whether it be a library, a museum, or other cultural institution is likely to be “Where is the bathroom?”. Elissa Frankle Olinsky draws on her experience working in museums to build a framework for thinking of visitor needs. This framework redraws Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in a new light.
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https://blueprintdigital.com/ia-summit-2017/elissa-frankle/
Web Site
Closing Keynote
In the final keynote for the 2017 Summit Dan Klyn looks backwards at the history of information architecture to see where it is headed in the future. His call to action should inspire anyone who considers themselves an information architect to look at the trajectory of their own career and our influence on truth in the world.
http://www.iasummit.org/talk/architecture-ia-truth/