Q&A // WSJ Information Architect Luke Miller lectures this Thursday at 3rd Ward

On Thursday, May 19, Luke Miller, lead Mobile and Emerging Technologies Information Architect at the Wall Street Journal, will be presenting a lecture about the field of information architecture (IA) right here at 3rd Ward.

It'll run from 7:30-9:30pm and it's totally free! Just make sure to RSVP and reserve your spot. To give you an idea of what Miller will be talking about we asked him a few questions.

3rd Ward: What is information architecture?

Luke Miller: The way I usually describe Information Architecture is by comparing buildings and applications/web sites. All require hard labor, by construction workers in one instance and coders in the other, and all require an aesthetic touch by a designer. But before any of this can happen they must first be architected--that includes how to get around, making sure people are satisfied and impressed, and also what to do when you are lost.

3W: How has the field of information architecture changed with the emergence of mobile and other new technologies?

LM: Even with the emergence of these new interaction models the same pillars still hold true: always be aware of the users' context and keep things simple. You will hear the word optimization a lot these days and all that that means is to use the content you have and transform it based on the context of the situation your users are in. 

3W: What are some examples of great information architecture in action today? 

LM: Anytime the user doesn't have to go hunting for a button or function, thats an example of a job well done. Currently, I am dealing with mobile situations a lot and some of my favorite examples can be found on lovelyui.com.

3W: How did you get started in the field of information science and information architecture?

LM: In college, I was an English major and studied epistemology—why we know what we know. In graduate school, I studied how we know what we know—HCI, UX, information architecture, multimedia interactivity, & visualization. I've always had an interest in the way people come to understand the things around them--wanting to be a part of that learning process was how I got involved.

3W: Where do you see the field headed in the coming years?

LM: For practitioners I see the need for IAs to learn prototyping to get their concepts across, static wireframes just won't cut it anymore. For newbies in the field, get involved with Natural and Vocal User Interfaces (NUIs & VUIs). Death to the mouse & keyboard!