IAI Newsletter #2.12 December 2007

December 05, 2007 02:23 PM

IAI Newsletter #2.12 December 2007

The Information Architecture Institute (IAI) Newsletter features news about IAI and our partner sites: Boxes and arrows and IAwiki. We've also added a list of conferences, workshops, F2Fs, and job postings at the end, so scroll down!

In this issue:

* IAI News
* Volunteers at IAI
* What's New with Our Partners?
* Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
* Job Postings


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IAI NEWS - http://www.iainstitute.org
Greetings IAs,

For our last newsletter of the year, we wanted to highlight some of our proudest moments of 2007 and look ahead to 2008. In 2007, IAI welcomed over 750 new members and 400 renewals, expanding our organization to over 1500 members in 82 countries and counting! Our directory and geolocate maps are bursting with talented IAs.

And we enjoyed the opportunity to meet many of you at conferences and workshops around the globe such as the IDEA, the IA-Summit, ESS, Euro-IA, Oz-IA, the Italian IA Summit, Deutsche IA Konferenz, CanUX, and many, many more. Our calendar of IA events offering registration discounts to members continues to grow and we’re always happy to learn about more events of interest to our members.

In 2007, We saw communities develop online as well as in person. For instance, our web team launched a new site design in English and German and the Spanish language team is hard at work with the next generation Spanish site. UX managers started their own discussion list. And IAs gathered in Second Life to share presentations and show off avatars.

In the next year, we hope to add a very important role to our current staff. We are seeking an Executive Director to help us manage our back-office activities, assist with events coordination, and work with our two current staffers. If you’d like to apply or know someone great for the position, see the full listing at http://iainstitute.org/en/about/people/executive_director_opening.php.

IAI will continue to grow in 2008. We’ve got great projects in line and exciting events to unfold. We look forward to hearing from you in our annual member survey or send us an email anytime.

Sincerely,
Melissa Weaver
Membership & Volunteer Coordinator

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VOLUNTEERS AT IAI -http://iainstitute.org/en/network/volunteer_opportunities.php

If you have ideas on how to improve the IAI newsletter or event calendar, volunteer your time or information by contacting volunteer AT iainstute DOT org. We’re always searching for events of interest to the IA community and news items of particular importance to IAI members. If you’ve got an hour or so of extra time to compile the calendar or newsletter, we’ve got perks. Contact us!

IAI is a volunteer organization, so opportunities are infinite. You can assist with on-going programs or initiatives by donating your time, web, or IA skills in a variety of areas. You can join or form a local group or take part in Second Life to increase your networking activities. You can help spread the word about IA, work with volunteers all over the world, or join us at an event. Contact volunteer AT iainstitute DOT org if you are interested in joining a project or finding a volunteer fit for your schedule and skills.

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WHAT'S NEW WITH OUR PARTNERS
ASIS&T Bulletin, Boxes and Arrows, IAwiki, and Web Indexing SIG

ASIS&T Bulletin - http://www.asis.org/bulletin.html

James Kalbach is featured in the December/January Asis&t Bulletin with the IA column “Navigating the Long Tail.” Using the long tail distribution analogy, Kalbach analyzes the online environment – the noise, navigation, and idea application of information architecture. Metadata, taxonomies, and second order design all find their place in tail’s arc.

Navigating the Long Tail - http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Dec-07/kalbach.html

Also featured, Olugbenga Ademodi’s column “The Open Source Road to Web 2.0 for Nigeria: A View of Two Worlds from the Outside.” Consider the social implications of open source technologies in a Web 2.0 world. Is it possible that the lack of YouTube and other social networking and sharing technologies is silencing members of Nigeria’s community?

http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Dec-07/ademodi.html

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Boxes and Arrows - http://www.boxesandarrows.com
The definitive source for the complex task of bringing architecture and design to the digital landscape.

Building the UX Dreamteam
by Anthony Colfelt
Every time you hire someone for your UX team, you make a gut call that their personality and skills are what they seem. Anthony Colfelt looks to arm you with ways to make the hiring decisions that fit the best people into the reality of your business context.

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/building-the-ux

Building a Data-Backed Persona
by Andrea Wiggins

While the imaginary persona is helpful in the design process, a data-backed persona lends even more depth and focus to the development process. Andrea Wiggins reveals some effective ways to back up your personas with data easily available today.

Getting Hired: What Employers Really Want
by Olga Sanchez-Howard

With the vigorous debate within the Design community about roles and domains of expertise, we sometimes forget that our monikers are for those who would hire us, not for us. Olga Sanchez-Howard helps us refocus our efforts with resume and portfolio tips for Information Architects and Interaction Designers.

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/getting-hired

Designing for Nonprofits: User Experience Professionals Can Make a Difference in Society
by Olga Sanchez-Howard

During a two-year adventure designing websites for nonprofits, Olga Sanchez-Howard navigated waters both familiar and not. Now she shares her thoughts on what is shared and unique between the nonprofit and for-profit worlds.

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/designing-for51

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Web Indexing SIG: http://www.web-indexing.org
The Web Indexing SIG (Special Interest Group) promotes the human indexing of Web sites and HTML documents.

Web Indexing Award

To encourage high quality web site indexes and to promote the web indexing work of professional indexers, the Web Indexing Special Interest Group of the American Society of Indexers will begin awarding a deserving indexer the annual Web Indexing SIG Award for excellence in web site indexing. Nominations are open from November 26, 2007- March 1, 2008

The award will be announced at the Honors & Awards session of the American Society of Indexers Annual conference each spring. The first award will be announced at the ASI Conference’s Awards dinner to be held at the Warwick Hotel in Denver, Colorado, on Friday, May 2, 2008. NB: You do not have to be present if you win.

Eligibility requirements and contact information is available on the Web Indexing SIG website at: http://www.web-indexing.org. As soon as it is available, a link to conference information will be posted on the web site.

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UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

Events listed in the IAI calendar are free of charge or offers discounts to IAI members. Don’t forget to get your discount when you register.

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Search and Retrieval Conference:
Capitalising on new and existing search tools to improve information retrieval and access
February 4-6, 2007
Sydney, Australia
http://www.arkgroupaustralia.com.au/events-b097-search.htm

Effective storage of information that is easily retrievable can have a large impact upon business performance and overall efficiency. Current trends have seen the emergence of Web 2.0 storage, multimedia search, question search and personalized answers. Database owners, information providers and users need to know how to optimize the use of such new and advanced search services and how to get these and more traditional search techniques working to their advantage.

In many organizations however, search is still the poorest performing area of content and information management. The effective structuring and indexing of stored data and the development of good search tools are usually big challenges organizations are left with once their content and information management structures are in place. Organizations need to recognize the importance and capabilities of search tools, identify user requirements and gain an understanding of evolving search technologies. It is also crucial to structure and present information effectively and to endorse information protection.


Search Analytics:
Harnessing site search analytics to better understand and meet your user and customer needs
March 6, 2008
Sydney, Australia
www.keyforums.com.au

Rich Wiggins, the leading international Search Analytics expert, is coming to Sydney on 6th March 2008 to host this intensive one-day master class. Search Analytics (SA) is a hugely valuable, and typically under-exploited, tool that can enable you to better understand your customers' needs-in their own words-and then tune your search service, content, metadata and site navigation to meet those needs. SA is a powerful and often neglected method for improving search performance and overall site effectiveness.

To see a full copy of the brochure for this event, please email Helen Lewis at Helen DOT lewis AT keyforums DOT com DOT au.

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IAI JOB POSTINGS
The IAI Job Board lists job postings related to information architecture, as well as information design, interaction design, user experience, and HCI.

The following are a sample of recent postings:

User Interface Designer
RTCRM, Washington, DC, Maryland, USA
http://iainstitute.org/jobboard/jobs/job.php?id=3551

Usability Engineer
Recruiter, Redmond, WA USA
http://iainstitute.org/jobboard/jobs/job.php?id=3549

Information Architect
IGN, San Francisco, CA USA
http://iainstitute.org/jobboard/jobs/job.php?id=3548


Job board newsletter archives are available at: http://lists.iainstitute.org/listinfo.cgi/iai-jobs-iainstitute.org

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Thanks for reading and we'll be back with another newsletter in about a month!