Making connections with connected content For the past month, we have been running events showcasing the opportunities of connected content and information architecture. The response to these sessions has far exceeded my expectations.

For the past month, we have been running events showcasing the opportunities of connected content and information architecture. The response to these sessions has far exceeded my expectations.

I am pleased to be involved in organising a series of learning sessions about connected content and information architecture. This series is available to colleagues working in the public sector. The first sessions are this week.

Speaking about the meaning of public services at World IA Day London 2026 I will be speaking at [World IA Day London 2026]( an online event about information architecture. This is for anyone who works with information or cares about about how it is organised and understood.

Speaking about the meaning of public services at World IA Day London 2026

I will be speaking at [World IA Day London 2026]( an online event about information architecture. This is for anyone who works with information or cares about about how it is organised and understood.

Words and pictures in the history of user experience and the future of artificial intelligence Modern artificial intelligence tools are largely rooted in text-based interactions. But the history of user experience, information and even humanity shows us that AI will have to go beyond text if it’s going to become relevant.

Modern artificial intelligence tools are largely rooted in text-based interactions. But history shows us that AI will have to go beyond text if it’s going to become relevant.

Perceiving relationships gives glue people the edge Seeing what’s in between as well as what is — in information architecture and in the way organisations work.

Seeing what’s in between as well as what is — in information architecture and in the way organisations work.

Thanks Kev. Great to hear from you, hope you're doing well 👍

I was hit from behind by a bus For me, 2024 was an extraordinary year of milestone moments and major achievements. It was all overshadowed by one negative event in the summer that I had not received closure on. A year and a half on, I have only just reached something resembling a resolution.

I was hit from behind by a bus

Resisting Conway’s law through more thoughtful mapping Organisational structures and information architectures are both often visualised in artefacts described as “maps”. These constrained visualisations may embed siloed ways of working, and create problems for our users.

Organisational structures and information architectures are both often visualised in artefacts described as “maps”. These constrained visualisations may embed siloed ways of working, and create problems for our users.

When teams don't understand their own product A usable product starts with the conceptual model, but designers have "optimized" that work out of the profession. It's time to bring it back.

We are told: the product now has Gemini. We added Rufus. You can talk to Bixby. We've integrated Alice. Chat with Poob. Log on to Poob right now. Poob has it for you. Poob has it for you. Poob has it for you.
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We are never told "so what." Even the teams working on these products don't know anymore.

How did we let the web get this bad? Recently I had to intensively research a couple of topics involving potential purchase decisions. My experience was utterly miserable.

Recently I had to intensively research a couple of topics involving potential purchase decisions. My experience was utterly miserable.

The forgotten purpose of agile — Empowered teams responding to change The ideas behind agile tend to be squashed down to two words: “move fast”. But the Agile Manifesto says nothing about moving fast.

The ideas behind agile tend to be squashed down to two words: “move fast”. But the Agile Manifesto says nothing about moving fast.

The forgotten purpose of agile — Empowered teams responding to change The ideas behind agile tend to be squashed down to two words: “move fast”. But the Agile Manifesto says nothing about moving fast.

The ideas behind agile tend to be squashed down to two words: “move fast”. But the Agile Manifesto says nothing about moving fast.

Autonomy, independence, federation, WordPress and concrete I have had to make some behind-the-scenes changes to this website. In the process, I am planning to make it more interoperable with the fediverse and indieweb standards — and I am sticking with WordPress.

I have had to make some behind-the-scenes changes to this website. In the process, I am planning to make it more interoperable with the fediverse and indieweb standards — and I am sticking with WordPress.

Life beyond the folder system The folder metaphor so intuitive to generations of computer users that they can struggle to think of any other way of using a computer. Yet for younger generations, the idea is completely alien.

The folder metaphor so intuitive to generations of computer users that they can struggle to think of any other way of using a computer. Yet for younger generations, the idea is completely alien.

Indeed. I think the fact that it's a survey throws people off. People think of surveys as performing a very different job to top tasks. People tend to turn to analytics to answer this sort of question. But of course that only tells you how the current IA is performing, not how it could be improved.

Top tasks survey — One weird trick to improve information architecture and user experience One of the most powerful methods in information architecture and user experience is also one of the least well-known. The top tasks method uses a single survey question that tells you exactly what matters most to your users. I find it so effective that I’m amazed more people haven’t used it.

One of the most powerful methods in information architecture and user experience is also one of the least well-known. The top tasks method uses a single survey question that tells you exactly what matters most to your users.

Services are verbs combined with nouns Information architecture normally focuses on the objects that need to be represented in a system. Some human-centred practitioners focus instead on the tasks users need to do. These approaches are sometimes framed in opposition. But combining these techniques can make services and systems easier to use as well as more efficient to manage.

Services are verbs combined with nouns

Keeping it real in the age of artificial intelligence Amid technology-focused hype cycles, the job of human-centred practitioners is to remind everyone: the main reason people use technology is to enhance our connections with other humans in the real world.

Amid technology-focused hype cycles, the job of human-centred practitioners is to remind everyone: the main reason people use technology is to enhance our connections with other humans in the real world.

Sorry for venting but another example today of how What3Words have engineered an over reliance on their platform in UK emergency services.

Came across a car which was up on the verge at a strange angle, obviously not parked - 3 cars ahead of us drove past it but experience makes me always check.

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions. This has been brought into sharp focus for me since I started a role last year focusing heavily on information architecture, to the annoyance of my wife Alex, who is an actual architect.

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions.

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions. This has been brought into sharp focus for me since I started a role last year focusing heavily on information architecture, to the annoyance of my wife Alex, who is an actual architect.

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions.

Thanks for sharing Nick! Glad you found it interesting

Object-oriented approaches in action There are several benefits of building a content model in an object-oriented way. This post walks through those benefits, and demonstrates a real-life example of how this approach works on a well-know...

There are several benefits of building a content model in an object-oriented way. This post walks through those benefits, and demonstrates a real-life example of how this approach works on a well-known website.

duncanstephen.net/object-orien...

How we are following an object-oriented approach to structuring information Decades-old approaches are being brought up to date with new techniques to create a robust way of structuring content to enable reuse and make content management more efficient.

How we are following an object-oriented approach to structuring information

Decades-old approaches are being brought up to date with new techniques to create a robust way of structuring content to enable reuse and make content management more efficient.

Yes. This is the first time I've attempted it because any other project I've worked on hasn't been remotely ready for it. I'm finding the hardest thing is communicating all the possibilities. There is so much potential, but it involves big changes in ways of working and thinking.

The object of information architecture In my job at the Scottish Government, we are understanding the opportunities that can be provided by following an object-oriented approach to structuring our information.

We are understanding the opportunities that can be provided by better structuring our information. We are using a variety of robust information architecture techniques, including an increasingly popular method called object-oriented user experience (OOUX)

There’s no such thing as a technology problem Information has become the forgotten half in “information technology”. Tech companies are struggling because they aren’t focusing on the human problems they need to solve.

There’s no such thing as a technology problem

A plea for the lost practice of information architecture — Vicky Teinaki I was sad to learn earlier that ( Vicky had been a designer for a few different government departments and public sector organisations. I didn't know her well. But I have read her blog posts for years, and I was delighted to encounter her in meetings about structured information since I joined the civil service a few months ago. I was struck by how she demonstrated both fresh thinking and wisdom.

A plea for the lost practice of information architecture — Vicky Teinaki