Well, I've been recalled to the Publications Office. So, I will be leaving Web Services at the end of this week to return to the Quad.
Initially I was brought over to Web Services to spread the word about information architecture, usability and all things user-focussed. That was two years ago and it was very difficult to convince people that their site required design that went beyond that of the graphic variety.
I used to do the designs for larger sites and consult on the designs of smaller ones. Sometimes my designs were adopted completely, sometimes I had to give in to the wants of the client even when I thought the amendments were not constructive. And sometimes my designs were completely ignored. That's life as an IA.
What has changed in those two years is that Web Services now have a stable of people who design IAs. I have noticed that information architecture is considered by most people when they design their sites and I can see many of the practices Web Services have advocated take root across the University web presence. However, the job isn't finished.
Web sites are never stable, the experiences and expectations of the user are always in flux and the development of new technology means that IA has to continually be re-thought. There is no one-size fits all. This is what I would consider to be my most valuable contribution over the past two years. To instill the belief that there is no one single answer to an information architecture problem. All sites require thinking out, they require planning. Every designer has to consider the audience of every single site they build and not try to shoe-horn one design over a number of sites. Some IA problems are easier to solve than others but that doesn't mean you should ignore design. The fact that people put so much thought into identifying their audiences and planning their sites now says to me that a lot has changed. This is especially an achievement when you consider that the University has very few people whose sole responsibility is web design. A lot of sites are designed, built and maintained by people who actually have other jobs. There is often no clear mandate given to designers and a lot of web work is done by people whose speciality lies elsewhere.
In terms of the web at the Uni, there is a long way to go. For me the last great hurdle is content. As someone who was initially drawn to the content side of the web and fell accidentally into design, content is something I am extremely passionate about. I want to get at least some people as excited about good content, not mere recycling, as I am.
So, my next crusade is to revitalise the content on the large sites I work on (the main University website, the staff website and, from today, the Research and Innovation website). As well as this I will continue to rework the IA of smaller sites related directly to the Publications Office. I have a few 'pet project sites' in mind but whether they get off the ground remains to be seen. Of course, I am always willing to consult on other projects should anyone need the services of an IA...
That just leaves this blog. I am hoping someone will take over Templatedata and love it but in the meantime I will continue to write here. I will also be starting a new blog that will focus more on communication. This will include print/online integration, content strategies and, whisper it, branding and marketing.