This 30-min talk was given at the 2017 Boston World IA Day event. The entire event was recorded and can be viewed here: https://livestream.com/accounts/14971749/events/6954435/videos/149750445. This talk starts at 2:11:00.

1. @KyleSoucy
#WIADBOS
www.usableinterface.com

2. Theme:
Informa9on Strategy
& Structure
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

3. We can not create
informa9on.
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

4. Informa9on is not content.
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

5. in.for.ma.tion:
what is conveyed or
represented by a
particular arrangement
or sequence of things.
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

6. Only the user can
create informa9on.
I don’t think
that’s the best option...
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

7. “We can only make content
with the inten1on of
communica1ng
informa1on.”
- Abby Covert

8. What is used to
interpret content
(i.e. create informa9on)?
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

10. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

11. ???
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS
What assump9ons can we make about the
missing review stars on these headphones?

12. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS
What assump9ons can we make about their
only being 7 leL in stock of this pair?

14. How we present our products and services says
a lot about what we think of our end users.

15. Two people can read the same piece of content
and walk away with different informa9on.

16. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

17. This is a content problem...
and a huge challenge
for IAs!
<
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

18. So, what influences
interpretation?
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

20. USERS

22. So, are we really
Content Architects?
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

23. NO!

24. So, are we really
Content Architects?
Information
Outcome
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

25. How do we deliver the
desired outcome?
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

26. KNOW YOUR USERS
1. Who is using your content?
2. What data will they use to
interpret your content?
3. What data can you control?

27. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS
0
@
vs.

28. Ask your users...
“Do you have all the informa1on you need?”

29. KNOW YOUR
INTENTION
What do you want users to
walk away with?

30. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

31. Other examples...

32. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

33. @KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

35. Gain-framed
vs.
Loss-framed Messages
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

36. Gain-framed:
“qui[ng smoking reduces the risk
of death due to tobacco”
Loss-framed:
“smoking can kill you”
More effec9ve for smokers that think qui[ng will be hard.
More effec9ve for smokers that think they can quit when they wanted.
vs.

37. WARNING:
Quitting smoking reduces the risk of
mouth cancer.
WARNING:
Smoking can kill you.
vs.
Even more effec9ve...

38. Is this really our job?
@KyleSoucy | #WIADBOS

39. “…[IA] is about how to
choose the right way to
present informa1on
and how to help people
navigate through it.”
- Richard Saul Wurman

40. Takeaways...

41. Informa9on
is not content.

42. Know your intent.

43. Know your users.

44. Learn more...
• Book: How To Make Sense Of Any Mess
by Abby Covert
• Book: Influence - The Psychology Of Persuasion
by Robert B. Cialdini
• Book: Pervasive Informa9on Architecture
by Andrea Resmini & Luca Rosi9

45. IASUMMIT.ORG

46. I did not intend to leave
9me for ques9ons.

47. www.usableinterface.com
@KyleSoucy
Thank you!