When Richard Saul Wurman came up with the designation 'Information Architect', I thought it was an overly pretentious title for a job that was perfectly adequately described by the existing 'Information Designer'. But he was a real architect - the kind that is qualified to design buildings - so he certainly had a right to use that word for himself.
But that was a good while ago and I don't suppose there are that many people in this business who remember that - or, perhaps, who know who Richard Saul Wurman is (let alone remember his 1989 - pre WWW - book 'Information Anxiety', which launched all this Information Architecture malarkey in the first place).
These days, however, 'Information Architects' seem to be rarely even designers, let alone architects (Wurman, at least, proved himself as good a graphic designer as architect, with his Access Guides - being honored with an AIGA medal). And what constitutes a site architecture appears to be little more than a series of lists of section headings. If it's not even good taxonomy - and I can't really comment on that - it doesn't say much about this kind of 'architecture', does it? That would be like saying that a real architect can't even get their bills of quantity right - perhaps the least important part of what a real architect does.
What I want to know, though, is why if this activity is 'architecture', there don't seem to be any Frank Gehrys or Zaha Hadids or even Will Alsops of the web. Architecture is about so much more than making sure all the rooms are in the right place and connect together logically. It's about vision and surprise and experience - and conceiving things in a holistic fashion. What Information Architect has created a site that takes one's breath away in the way the Guggenheim in Bilbao does?
Anyway, I'd like to make a suggestion. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to rename 'Information Architecture' something like 'Information Surveying'? Or even 'Information Administration'?
95% of information architects are fakes, IA-PRO, 5 May 12:36 Why are digital agencies so easily conned into believing that because someone calls themselves an information architect, that they are one?
It obvious when listening to some the ...
95% of information architects are fakes, LawrenceLadomery, 7 May 14:01 I don't think that a dedicated (and expensive) IA expert is necessary all the time. Not all sites need to express complex data and interaction systems.
Also, like in architectu ...
95% of information architects are fakes, EricReiss, 7 May 14:09 Hi Catherine,
Are you suggesting that a business analyst with a library science background is a fake? Or a developer who has studied cognitive science? Using your criteria, I ce ...
95% of information architects are fakes, ChristinaWodtke, 7 May 16:20 Well, considering Sturgeon's law, this should not come across as a surprising statement, but I'll disagree, at least for most of America (especially California, where I reside). Mo ...
95% of information architects are fakes, EmileZola, 12 May 13:50 It was good to hear from the faithful defending the religion of IA. Christina you should really run you stuff through a spell check first, I can note the passion but the delivery i ...
95% of information architects are fakes, runger, 7 May 17:23 How many people are claiming that they are Information Architects versus companies hiring "Information Architects" for some incorrect / inaccurate reason? I find it difficult to b ...
95% of information architects are fakes, JamesSouttar, 8 May 10:56 When Richard Saul Wurman came up with the designation 'Information Architect', I thought it was an overly pretentious title for a job that was perfectly adequately described by the ...
95% of information architects are fakes, LawrenceLadomery, 8 May 12:22 James, I wouldn't discount the importance of 'getting rooms are in the right place and connect together logically'. Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry are preoccupied about such things as ...
95% of information architects are fakes, JamesSouttar, 8 May 14:33 Lawrence, I agree with you that what we call 'information architecture' these days can be done by a whole range of different people. But equally calling this listmaking 'architectu ...
95% of information architects are fakes, Quantos, 9 May 09:16 Great reply James. I think it is worth remembering that 'architect' is also a common noun/verb used long before being adopted by modern professional 'architects'.
From the Oxfor ...
95% of information architects are fakes, EricReiss, 8 May 16:32 Why can't we all take a broader view of the words "information" and "architecture"? Is there really a crying need to change the job title after well over a decade of use? It's like ...
95% of information architects are fakes, SarahAlder1, 9 May 09:20 At last a bit of sanity in this thread. Thanks Eric.
On 16:32:45 8 May 2008 EricReiss wrote:
Why can't we all take a broader view of the words "information" and "architectu ...
95% of information architects are fakes, Karl_Smith, 9 May 12:47 This is a really interesting article which picks out (or rather on) a number of facets of digital consultant identities.
It seems designed to create mayhem.
I offer no solut ...
95% of information architects are fakes, IA-PRO, 10 May 01:42 According to some people 72% of all statistics are made up, that may be the case it depends on if this is science or art.
If Information Architecture is Science it should have ...
95% of information architects are fakes, LawrenceLadomery, 11 May 00:18 "The site works well, great but do they help people find what they are looking for? "
Yes, as I said the sites work perfectly well.
"Or are they dev, lead abominations that f ...
95% of information architects are fakes, architect, 11 May 15:58 But how do I validate your opinion Lawrence Ladomery ?
How can I know, that you know anything, about what your are saying?
You’re entitled to an opinion, but how many website ...
95% of information architects are fakes, LawrenceLadomery, 11 May 17:39 I used to have info about where I work on my profile but another IA decided to call me up and complain about a post where I criticised him and his website.
Are all 'real' IAs s ...
95% of information architects are fakes, architect, 11 May 22:28 I don't think I ever said I was an IA.
“I tend to assume that people who participate in this forum are experienced professionals and therefore I value their opinions”. I had a l ...
95% of information architects are fakes, LawrenceLadomery, 12 May 00:54 Is my opinion really that wrong?
My view is that the role of the information architect is important when complexities are such that an expert is needed. But in most cases the IA ...
Fake information architect, EmileZola, 12 May 13:49 I never said your opinion was wrong Lawrence
I asked why you should think it's right, which is not the same thing at all.
As to who I am, I'm your conscience, for all those ...
Fake information architect, LawrenceLadomery, 12 May 15:56 So do you agree or not with what I'm saying?
By asking me why I think I am right you seem more preoccupied about me than the discussion you started in the first place! I'm flatt ...
Fake information architect, chrisl , 12 May 16:18 The forum thread is out of control, and there are clear examples of vote rigging that we're looking into.
That aside, all opinions are valid and surely this is a case of horse ...
Fake information architect, JamesSouttar, 12 May 16:34 >To create a superb website is surely to create a superb
>user experience, and the views of the end user should be
>paramount in the design process.
This sounds like a bit of ...
Fake information architect, chrisl , 12 May 17:01 Hi James,
Fair comment, but I'm not a Nielsen fanboy - he says some interesting things but often seems to point out the obvious, and what's right for one website isn't necessari ...
95% of information architects are fakes, IA-PRO, 5 May 12:36 
, 12 May 16:18 
