Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Proposals/Information Architecture


 * The following discussion is an archived proposal of the WikiProject below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the project's talk page (if created) or the WikiProject Council).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The proposed WikiProject was created at WikiProject Information Architecture

Description
Information Architecture, as described by Richard Saul Wurman as "the creating of systemic, structural, and orderly principles to make something work — the thoughtful making of either artifact, or idea, or policy that informs because it is clear," is a field of practice that is approaching its fortieth anniversary. Many tools and schools of thought have developed over the years to inform designers and information professionals on the design and management of information space. This project intends to recognize and celebrate the foundations of this field by discovering and informing the public about the history, tools, practitioners and benefits of information architecture. Nwhysel (talk) 00:29, 28 February 2015 (UTC)

List of important pages and categories for this proposed group
 * information architects (number of pages in the category: 19 )
 * information technology management (number of pages in the category: 293 )
 * technical communication (number of pages in the category: 201 )
 * data management (number of pages in the category: 298)
 * information science (number of pages in the category: 203)
 * information technology (number of pages in the category: 102)
 * enterprise architecture (number of pages in the category: 74)
 * information architects (number of pages in the category: 19 )
 * technical communication (number of pages in the category: 201 )
 * data management (number of pages in the category: 298)
 * information science (number of pages in the category: 203)
 * information technology (number of pages in the category: 102)
 * enterprise architecture (number of pages in the category: 74)
 * information architects (number of pages in the category: 19 )


 * List of WikiProjects currently on the talk pages of those articles
 * Please invite these and any other similar groups to join the discussion about this proposal. See WikiProject_Council/Directory to find similar WikiProjects.



Much of the criticism of Information Architecture, in general and on its Wikipedia talk page, suggests that the field is not well established, does not have academic research or pedagogy, and is simply a group of similarly interested individuals whose purpose is self-promotion. This denies 40 years of history beginning with Richard Saul Wurman's 1976 American Institute of Architects annual meeting, which was based on the theme, The Information Architect, as well as over 20 years of established academic curricula, research and discourse from institutions like Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Kent State University, Copenhagen Business School, and others. The Association for Information Science and Technology published a list of over 40 institutions that offered Information Architecture coursework as of 2003.
 * Why do you want to start a new group, instead of joining one of these existing groups?

Information Architecture as a concept, in fact, draws on a variety of disciplines including library and information science, cognitive science, knowledge management, architecture, semiotics, human-computer interaction and behavioral science. This is much broader set of disciplines than suggested by the categories and WikiProjects listed above that cover Information Architecture topics. The ultimate goal of Information Architecture is to make the complex clear. It is true that much of the recent work in the information architecture space has been in digital products. This is primarily due to the explosion of the Internet and the design of tools and communication platforms within a digital context. This view is limiting. Information Architecture also encompasses analog based discovery systems, such as wayfinding, signs and paper based data systems, as well as informing disciplines such as experience design, service design, and conceptual modelling.

Support
To add your name, log in and click edit, then create a new line after the last person on the list, then type # followed by four tildes (~) and save the page. Also, specify whether or not you would join the project.
 * 1) Nwhysel (talk) 00:29, 28 February 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 2) Resmini (talk) 07:16, 2 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 3) PatienceFortitude (talk) 21:11, 5 March 2015 (UTC) Can't join but can vouch for the project leader being awesome!
 * 4) Natedavisiii (talk) 05:25, 6 March 2015 (UTC)
 * 5) Samradd (talk) 13:47, 6 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 6) msweeny (talk) 13:47, 6 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 7) Abby The IA (talk) 19:06, 9 March 2015 (UTC)
 * 8) Danklyn (talk) 19:07, 9 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 9) Lwcavallucci (talk) 19:24, 9 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 10) Anarchyshake (talk) 19:53, 9 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 11) Lishubert (talk) 20:42, 9 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 12) Jarango (talk) 03:39, 10 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 13) Mintz 17:45, 10 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 14) Bruce Esrig 22:56, 14 March 2015 (UTC) Will contribute supporting edits.
 * 15) Ms eleeb (talk) 14:26, 22 March 2015 (UTC) Yes!
 * 16)  CookieMonster755   (talk)   19:03, 1 April 2015 (UTC) Can't wait to join! Yes!
 * 17) Tipoqueno (talk) 17:18, 13 April 2015 (UTC) Yes!

Discussion

 * Comment there's a curious lack of any edits except to this nomination for the redlink users. Are there enough users who edit Wikipedia to support this project? If most supporters are readers who do not edit or add articles, the WikiProject won't survive, as WikiProjects survive on the activity of editors. -- 65.94.43.89 (talk) 07:47, 12 March 2015 (UTC)

Nwhysel (talk) 20:42, 11 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Comment Your comment is noted and appreciated. I will be hosting an editathon event at the ASIS&T Information Architecture Summit on April 25, 2015 in which I will be requesting additional support. If we don't get enough editors to sign on, I plan to have the current list join the Human Computer Interaction WikiProject and work as an Information Architecture task force.


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the project's talk page (if created) or at the WikiProject Council). No further edits should be made to this page.