Job descriptions for information architects
During the week of December 5, 2005 the SIG-ia list of ASIS&T and the Single Sourcing SIG list of STC had discussions of job descriptions for information architects. The information here is generalized from resources mentioned in those discussions and other information.
Ann Rockley provides a basic description in Managing Enterprise Content (New Riders, 2003).
- Analyze and design content.
- Build information product models, element models, metadata, and reuse strategies.
- Design information retrieval for authors and users.
- Design information for ease of use by content users and ease of reuse by authors.
This may involve the following:
- Develop a scheme for topic-based technical documentation and reuse of information. This includes gathering information from writers, designers, marketing, and customer support and working with them to identify topics and potential reuse.
- Develop guidelines for organizing and labeling topics, define the appropriate units of information, and identify metadata.
- Define security for access and entering metadata.
- Develop or customize the XML schema.
- Provide guidance on the transformation of content for publishing.
The following specific activities are from various published job descriptions:
- Analyze content and tasks.
- Develop task models and usage scenarios.
- Create sketches, diagrams, maps, storyboards, and rapid prototypes to develop and document the information design.
- Develop highly usable solutions for web-based transactions, applying expertise in information, interface, and interaction design methods.
- Integrate information and interaction design into the design process; prepare estimates for information architecture work.
- Participate in project management with an emphasis on keeping customers informed about information architecture issues.
- Keep up-to-date on news and trends in the information architecture and share that knowledge with the team. Train writers and editors in information architecture. Serve as an information, interface, and interaction design consultant.
Qualifications mentioned include:
- Degree: Minimum BA or BS in Library Science, Psychology, Human Factors, or Fine Arts or related field. Master’s in Information Design or Library Science.
- Experience in information architecture and interface design including design of websites, web applications, or web services.
- Knowledge of computer networking concepts, XML authoring and publishing tools, database structures, and information models, scenario and task-based, topic-oriented documentation.