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• IA and Usability

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  Plexus Mex

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  IA and Usability

  I have experience in both IA and Usability. These are different disciplines of course. In a previous job I was highly valued because of this dual perspective. However in my current job the UX team is only IA who have never done any formal user research. User research is consdiered "testing done by a 3rd party". so when the team develops wireframes there isnt much thought put into the usability outside of the typical things you'd expect from a generalized IA perspective.
  
  So i find it challenging to bring in a usability perspective when doing internal reviews. I am wondering, as IAs, what kind of approach from a usability specialist you'd consider useful and valuable.
  
  It surprises me that these two fields are not more closely immeshed. However the state of it is, for now, that they are considered quite separate. of course its subjective to a large degree but demonstrated when IA's who do not have a pension for usability design wireframes and propose solutions that are not user-centered. this happens often, in my experience.
  
  what is your expience with this?
  
  • 07 Mar 2007, 5:28 pm
  Plexus Mex wrote: > I have experience in both IA and Usability. These are different > disciplines of course. In a previous job I was highly valued because > of this dual perspective. However in my current job the UX team is > only IA who have never done any formal user research. User research > is consdiered "testing done by a 3rd party". so when the team > develops wireframes there isnt much thought put into the usability > outside of the typical things you'd expect from a generalized IA > perspective. > > So i find it challenging to bring in a usability perspective when > doing internal reviews. I am wondering, as IAs, what kind of approach > from a usability specialist you'd consider useful and valuable. > > It surprises me that these two fields are not more closely immeshed. > However the state of it is, for now, that they are considered quite > separate. of course its subjective to a large degree but demonstrated > when IA's who do not have a pension for usability design wireframes > and propose solutions that are not user-centered. this happens often, > in my experience. > > what is your expience with this?
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  Alexey Zakhlestin

  The company name is only visible to registered members.

  Re: IA and Usability

  I believe, the best approach is cooperation. As IA, I prefer to draft point of interaction and let usability guys to tell me where am I wrong. I prefer to start discusssion as early as possible — this gives us the possibility not to make too much in the wrong direction.
  
  I expect Usability specialists to tell me: "this won't work, and this will, and this would be better if we change there".
  
  It's my responsibility to define "what" and their responsibility to define "how"
  
  • 17 Apr 2007, 7:58 pm
  Alexey Zakhlestin wrote: > I believe, the best approach is cooperation. As IA, I prefer to draft > point of interaction and let usability guys to tell me where am I > wrong. I prefer to start discusssion as early as possible — this > gives us the possibility not to make too much in the wrong direction. > > I expect Usability specialists to tell me: "this won't work, and this > will, and this would be better if we change there". > > It's my responsibility to define "what" and their responsibility to > define "how"
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