Information architecture - the invisible infrastucture of communication

Communication travels from one thinking system to another on an infrastructure, which is invisible, because it consists of relationships =differences, which make a difference to someone in one of the thinking systems involved. I call the infrastructure of communication 'Information Architecture'.

Information Architecture - constantly an object of design - is difficult to talk about.Strangely enough, since humans have a long history of communicating about invisible things: in ancient times we talked with the spirits of nature - using our imagination. We handled problems of molecules and microorganisms before we could trace them in a microscope - using theory.

To talk about the invisible infrastructure of communication itself, however, we need both imagination, a theory - and a mirror, because of the inherent reflexivity of communication: talking with the environment is always also talking with ourselves.

This week I am preparing a crash-course in Information Architecture for 9th semester Information Architecture students - where I invoke imagination, theory, and hopefully also introduce a mirror, in order for the coming information architects to get to grips with form elements and functional elements and make them able to create (new) information architectures.

All we need is - sensemaking?

After a week of planning of teaching and research, and the anniversary of an old colleague, I wonder: What - in the relationship between humans, work and technology - has, really, changed over the past 25 years?

Fear and hope seem stable, compassion and vanity as well, and nothing moves without the sense making activity of humans.
- But technology has changed - good to know, and very consoling for us who make a living out of designing and studying technology: because of the change in technology sensemaking is needed, anew, every day. There is the challenge, right at hand.

Casablanca moods

This Monday I re-assumed working at e-Learning Lab at Aalborg University, with focus on teaching design theory and methodology. I have learnt a lot from being part of IT-product Design at the Mads Clausen Institute for a year - I miss the colleagues there, yet I also enjoy being together with my colleagues in eLL - so in sum I have gained a lot, and I am grateful.