Speaking
I love speaking about information architecture, sensemaking and the general messiness of being human. I have been invited to speak at more than 75 events in the last ten years. Below are some of my most proud speaking moments. If you are interested in having me speak at your event or for your organization, get in touch.
Under(standing) the Influence: Placemaking and Sensemaking in IA Work
In the spring of 2022 I had the pleasure of delivering a brand new talk with one of my best friends and closest mentors, Dan Klyn. In addition to the video which is on Youtube, you can also find the deck and bibliography at http://iamania.com/
Make More Sense
Sensemaking is a critical skill set in roles where you seek to serve others. This talk offers a framework of six sensemaking skills anyone could strengthen.
Sensemaking Lessons
Three lessons from the dark complexity caverns of capitalism, from an IA making sense of messes in the private sector.
Podcasts
A selection of my favorite podcast interviews and conversations over the years.
A World Made of Information
It’s the job of Information Architects to manage the onslaught of content and data amassing daily. To do this work responsibly we have to know what to expect. This talk offers advice as we look to our future.
Language Your Most Important and Least Valued Asset
Language is one of the most common used materials when collaborating with other people. This talk is about the language challenges that organizations face and ways to work with language as a material to combat the expected drama.
World IA Day Keynotes
As the inventor of WIAD, I offer a new perspective every year in an opening keynote.
Persistent Problems require Persistent Practice
The opening keynote for IAC20 on what it takes to tackle persistent problems in organizations.
Collaborative IA
Dealing with people isn’t always easy, however, to create something that serves people, we have to work with people. This talk introduces tools and techniques for practicing information architecture with other people collaboratively.
Time as Material
The way we use our time says alot about who we are. This talk looks at time as a critical material in the pursuit of our goals
Understanding Information Architecture
We all have to deal with our messes, whether we like it or not. This talk offers information architecture as a tool set to rely on when facing messes made of information, content and data (which most are!)
Search is the front door to UX
If the internet is a place and Search has become the way in. UX and Search Pros need to work together to make it the internet the best place. This talk connects the lessons of UX with the promise of SEO and SEM.
Making Sense of Place
Everything that we work on will affect a larger ecosystem. This talk introduces a hierarchical taxonomy for understanding the concept of place for the purposes of placemaking.
Lessons from an Ontology Nerd
Meaning can get complicated at the intersection of humans and technology. This talk is a simple introduction to ‘ontology’ – a fundamental concept in the pursuit of meaning.
How I teach IA to design students
Information architecture tends to be a primary tool for many design students, yet many don’t know the term IA. In this talk I explore the challenge and opportunity of teaching IA to design students.
Information Architecture for Products
Your product has to make sense to others. Information architecture is all about ensuring things make sense. This talk relates the basic concepts of information architecture practice to the work of product management and product design.
Build Systems, Not Stuff
Systems thinking is the key to understanding many complex problem spaces. In this talk I will break down the system of UX to look for the ways in which we can be thinking more holistically.
Understanding Information Architecture
Below are links to the materials from the workshop I just taught at General Assembly called “Understanding Information Architecture” The Deck The Workbook (print at 8.5 x 11 Portrait) Also here were my favorite 3 questions: Q: How do you deal with drastic lack of consensus between stakeholders after interviewing them about what they want?…
Information Architecture Basics Workshop
We all have to deal with our messes, whether we like it or not. This talk offers information architecture as a tool set to rely on when facing messes made of information, content and data (which most are!)
Have an audience?
I am currently booking speaking engagements. I generally get asked to talk about information architecture, community building, writing, sensemaking or diagrams.