Review: Information Architecture Is Not What You Think

by Tysa Fennern

The theme of the February chapter meeting was using your hidden information architecture skills to change the perceived value of your current role. The discussion was lead by panelists Connie Betts (moderator), Susan Caney-Peterson, Dick Miller, and Gail Toft-Vizzini.

When I entered the room, the panelists were discussing how to add value to our current role in the workplace. I'm always seeking advice on making a stronger business case, and I knew immediately that I would receive nuggets of wisdom here that I could implement the next day! The evening would bring to light three key ideas for strengthening our position in the workplace:

• Identifying our value
• Using our hidden information architecture skills
• Developing our strategic contributions.

Identifying Our Value

According to the panelists, we prove our everyday “value” by recognizing gaps in communication, resolving issues as they arise, and helping our employers “pull the pieces together.”

However, to gain the recognition we deserve, we must position ourselves as strategic contributors rather than as general practitioners. We must promote ourselves as “value-added” information architects who can increase our companies' market impact, enforce communication standards, organize information, and manage key projects. These and many related skills should be strengthened and emphasized to improve our employers' perception of our “value”.

Companies work hard to reduce their overhead and maximize revenue whenever possible; as such, expecting automatic appreciation just doesn't work any more. Thus, the dilemma: How do you identify and use your information architect skills to convince your company that your work is critical to the bottom line?

The key is learning to maximize your role strategically, regardless of your actual title or position within the company. In other words, you must help your employers recognize your worth as a “value added” contributor.

Using Our Hidden Information Architect Skills

Sometimes, technical communicators use information architecture skills in their jobs and don't realize that these skills are an extremely valuable commodity. Or, they recognize their skills, but aren't quite sure how to promote themselves as a value added contributor.

For example, when you are a technical communicator, you have certain skills that contribute to the quality and success of a project. You must emphasize the qualities and skills that affect the company's overall goals and mission. Companies are interested in their ROI and the business impact; specifically, how your work is going to help them maximize their company and their product(s). As technical communicators, we are here to assist them in that process. How we position our roles and contributions is vital to our success.

Becoming Strategic Contributors

We must understand our companies' goals and business plans. We should know who their allies and competitors are in the marketplace. Moreover, we must become extremely well-acquainted with our stakeholders, and glean as much information as possible from them. As noted earlier, our role as strategic contributor and leader should increase, and our role as general practitioner should decrease.

To elaborate, strategic contributors on a project understand the business and can identify the target customers and the competition. They assist with internal process and usability improvements. They also demonstrate that they are aware of their financial impact and make the business case for new initiatives based on this knowledge. They are visionaries with leadership skills aimed at improving the customer or user's experience. Strategic contributors are more efficient communicators and more productive members of the workplace team.

Are You An Information Architect?

We divided up into small groups and identified the skill sets we use as technical communicators. As we compared our skills to those of information architects, we discovered that we have much in common.

The following is a list of some of the most highly valued skills in our profession:

• User needs analysis, organization and delivery
• GAP analysis
• Data structuring
• Data research
• Strategizing
• User advocacy
• Cross-team communication
• Overall project management
• Oral presentations
• Layout and design
• Formatting and proofreading
• Editing
• Testing
• Investigation
• Listening
• Teaching
• Reasoning
• Interviewing
• Visual mapping
• Functional reviews
• Information integration

In conclusion, by understanding the role of the information architect, we will better understand our role as technical communicators and our importance as “value added” contributors.

References

www.jjg.net/ia
STC Newsletter: Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2003 – definition strategic contributor
February 2004 Program Meeting