The User Advocate: One Size Fits None?

By Dave Rogers

As an independent contractor, I routinely peruse the latest job listings for information architecture (IA) positions. (Simply Hired makes this a breeze.) And what I see often sticks in my craw. Too many companies seek individuals with a kaleidoscope of skills rarely found this side of Mount Olympus. You know the job listings I mean.

• The ones that require an advanced library science, HCI or similar degree.
• Plus the ability to do valid research and statistical analysis.
• Plus the ability to design and conduct usability studies.
• And task and requirements analyses.
• Plus the ability to draw significant conclusions and design strategies from the results.
• Plus the ability to structure and organize vast amounts of information.
• Plus the ability to create the requisite variety of design documents.
• Plus the ability to design user interfaces.
• And to code interactive prototypes in HTML, DHTML, XHTML, and/or JavaScript.
• Not to mention proficiency in every Microsoft Office tool and the entire Adobe product line.

Whoops-I forgot "Leaps tall buildings at a single bound."

Fortunately, this litany doesn't characterize the majority of IA job listings. But there are enough out there to trouble me.

I am troubled because, one, I don't meet such sweeping job requirements. I find it hard enough just to keep up to speed on IA and UX developments alone-and I'm positively obsessive. (The 2,900 collected articles on my hard drive testify to that.)

I am troubled because I don't believe it is realistic to expect anyone to meet such wide criteria-nor to represent oneself as possessing all of these skills.

And most of all, I am troubled by how such job requirements (and our acquiescence to them) betray a misunderstanding of the nature and value of IA, usability, user experience (UX), et al-to our collective detriment.

Granted, some individuals do indeed reach such lofty heights. Kelly (proudly) has several on her staff at gotomedia. More power to 'em, I say. Such Renaissance people play a vital role in the development of every discipline.

I also recognize that the "one size fits all" designer is how the Web was won. Because the visual nature of the early Web was transformative, it was natural for visual designers to take the lead. Already savvy users of computer design tools, they added some straightforward HTML skills to their palettes and hung out their shingles. Pioneers are always generalists.

But those days are long past. The settlers have moved in, cities are rising. As business leapt into the Web with its show-no-mercy requirements, the gaps in the early Web designers' skills-notably in interaction design (IxD), usability engineering and information architecture-became increasingly evident.

Specialists began to emerge. Requirements analysts. Usability specialists. Interaction designers. And information architects.

That's how it should be. "Evolution has shown," says Ray Kurzweil, "that the general trend towards greater order does generally result in greater complexity." Further, "each stage of evolution provides more powerful tools for the next."

IA evolved in a similar fashion. In the beginning, we wore many hats: usability engineers, user researchers, information organizers and interaction designers. But the Web's growing complexity soon led to the emergence of IA domains. We now see metadata specialists, taxonomists, "UXperts" and prototype professionals emerging-each accompanied by an ever-increasing wealth of tools, research and literature. Rosenfeld and Morville provide a preview of the future with their IA "dream team" in Polar Bear II.

So when I see IA job requirements that ask for the moon, I remember the old proverb: "Jack of all trades, master of none." I wonder how such expectations-and our own complicity with them-harm our craft and discipline.

It seems to me that seeking someone with (or representing oneself as possessing) mastery in user research, IxD, visual design and programming is asking for a tree that grows both apples and oranges.

Alan Cooper demonstrates in The Inmates Are Running the Asylum that the skills of programming are not compatible with those of IxD. I think we can make a case that the ability to construct complex controlled vocabularies calls for a very different mindset than creating wireframes. Nothing wrong with that; such diversity increases the value of our trade. Vive le difference!

Perhaps I'm making too much of these extravagant job descriptions. But what concerns me is that the confluence of disparate (even mutually exclusive) roles into one "super IA" can and often does result in substandard sites with unfortunate consequences.

Consider the end-user. It's our mission to help them achieve their goals for visiting our sites. We at least want to meet and satisfy their needs while providing a pleasant experience. Even better is exceeding their expectations, delighting them and delivering what they didn't even know they sought.

But when we're juggling so many balls (user analysis, metadata management, usability testing, IxD, prototyping), each growing heavier as the disciplines evolve, isn't it likely that we're going to drop at least one? I'll bet it's going to be the ones with which we're least familiar.

The result is a site that doesn't meet our users' needs as effectively as it should-and then we've done a disservice to our employer or client.

If you've read my thoughts here or at UXCentric, you know I passionately believe that we meet corporate goals for a site when its UX empowers end-users to achieve their goals. But if I, in my efforts to be all things IA to my client or employer, inadvertently produce a substandard design that discourages users from visiting, making purchases, or engaging in a site's community, I am not serving the needs of the people who hired me. They get less than they need or want-and the vaunted return-on-investment of user-centered design is diminished.

Ultimately, this reflects badly not only on us as individuals but on our young discipline and craft. So what do we do?

• Follow your passion and talents. If you've been doing IA for awhile, you already know which aspects float your boat. I relish getting into users' heads, developing personas and synthesizing solutions for sites-and I'm good at it. I can do other IA activities, but they're more of a struggle. My buddy Josh is a terrific all-around IA, but it's IxD where he really shines. We're both gravitating toward our passions.
• Educate yourself. There's an untold wealth of IA resources online, not to mention all the outstanding books available. Use it to your advantage. Our new gotomedia Resource Center can help you find what you need. Stay up-to-date on overall developments, but especially immerse yourself in your passion and specialty. I think you'll find it difficult to keep up! And don't forget the up-and-coming dimensions like narrative and play; Dan Pink's A Whole New Mind is a great starting point.
• Educate others. Take every opportunity to talk and teach IA with clients and coworkers. It's still unfamiliar territory to many. When I engage with a new client, I prefer to begin by offering a few seminars on IA. It definitely helps set expectations and promotes understanding.
• Prepare for the future. It's going to be wild. I'm reading Ray Kurzweil's The Singularity Is Near-and even if we take it with a large dose of skepticism, there is no doubt that technology will soon take us far beyond our current Web paradigms. There be dragons here.
• Advocate for the profession. Write a Weblog. Teach a university extension course. Join the associations and organizations. Participate in the mailing lists. Attend the conferences. Write a book. The more we spread the word about the nature and benefits of IA, the better informed our clients and employers will be.
• Tell the truth. Yes, when we need a job or contract, it's easy to put on the "can-do-everything" game face and promise the IA world. A few of us can even deliver! But for most, doing so is a disservice to the employer/client and end-user. Be honest about your qualifications. Just recently, I stunned a project team when I announced I'd have to subcontract metadata work to another IA. It turned into a wonderful opportunity to expand their understanding of our discipline.

Of course, sometimes ya gotta do what you can. Your company or client just doesn't have the budget for a full-fledged IA engagement. Or you're a one-person IA department, the pioneer/generalist breaking new ground. Go for the gusto, even as you prepare for the future of IA specialization.