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July 27, 2006
Information Architects
What is an information architect? For that matter, what the heck is a metadata architect? After a little thought, I am thinking that Information Architects and Metadata Architects create order from informational chaos. Hey, its no worse than defining metadata as data about data.
When Information architects work within web environments, they utilize taxonomy methods, page design techniques, and other skills where they can create order and understanding. This order is based on the tried and true principles of Human Computer Interaction (HCI).
As we enter the collaborative environment, which is a wonderfully fertile ground where chaos rules. Our training in information and metadata principles create an enormous opportunity. Why? Because we can walk into a business situation or business process, take an inventory of the informational components and within a few moments have a basic understanding of the information flow and the knowledge touch points. From this vision, we can utilize the tools of our trade to create value.
Posted by Todd at 1:11 PM
July 21, 2006
Knowing When to Let Go!
Whenever I look at a collaborative environment, it becomes real clear if an information architect or someone with a little bit of training has been involved. Information has neither context nor logical flow of assimilation. Spaghetti IA is more like it. However, when we do get involved and establish a solid roadmap and game plan for the content, we need to know when to leave and let nature take its course. Here are a few signs that we, as information architects or metadata architects have stayed too long:
1. The number of modifications made to the environment comes to a slow halt. Once the IA is established then content begins to flow into the system by the various contributors and very little adjustments are required. In fact, adjustments could actually create negative impacts to the project.
2. The phone stops ringing. What we do is not rocket science and with the new collaborative solutions we can simply be educators where the business users do the actual information architecture. Defining fields, domain, and visual structures have been automated and if no one is calling for help, move on.
3. The Tipping Point has been reached. When a collaborative site has an abundant amount of information or users then we should be careful to make adjustments. For example, suppose we have a document library where adding the modified date field would produce some value for reporting. However, if the environment has 1,000 documents, are you going to ask the end user to back and update the field or implement on a go forward basis. More importantly, businesses operate on cycles and if the cycle is producing content don’t slow it down, let it flow.
4. We are at80%. We as architects seek perfection while the business wants progress. If we just had one more day we could add some much more value to the knowledge store. No, let the business run when they are satisfied.
The bottom line, there is an art to letting go and allowing the seeds you planted to grow.
Posted by Todd at 5:42 PM
Metadata of High Performance
All of us will face job transition throughout our careers, whether through new opportunities, buyouts, layoffs or the impact of globalization. In addition, most of us spend countless hours thinking and acting upon metadata in our jobs. But, how many of us think about our personal metadata? The metadata of you is critical to manage like any other metadata, and fortunately we already have a collection of repository meta-models to choose from: resume, curriculum vitae (CV), portfolio and extended online models. Like all other metadata efforts, personal metadata has an enormous ROI opportunity, when done correctly.
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Posted by Todd at 12:23 AM
July 20, 2006
Debunking the Metadata Quality Myth
Of a period of years, one of the reoccurring statements from the so called experts is that if you allow multiple people update metadata content then chaos would follow. Very well known, authors even made the comment that if an end user comes to the metadata repository and finds poor quality they will never return. What these myths and expert opinions fail to see is the transformation of value based information. Perhaps in the past, it was acceptable for controlling the message by a few and disseminating to the masses but that no longer holds value. By the time the gate keepers allow the information the opportunities will be gone.
We have seen with Internet organizations like Wikipedia that chaos does not ensue with open access but the exact opposite. The quality of the information increases and eventually converges to a common point of view. Yet, we still hold onto the ideals that only a few people in the organization have the metadata knowledge. What’s worse is that not only do people believe they are the only source they still believe in the value of hoarding it.
I will steal a line from Batman I; this industry needs an enema.
Posted by Todd at 2:53 PM
July 18, 2006
Patterns of Metadata
When experts or professionals deal with problems they tend to approach the problem based on their past experience. They usually recall similar experiences and draw the best practices and lessons learned and then apply them over and over again. For most of us in information technology, the concepts of reuse are not new but few of us pay homage to Christopher Alexander and his original work on utilizing patterns in architecture. The object oriented crowd picked up on patterns and changed an industry. A recent book The Design of Sites (Van Duyne, Landay, Hong, 2002) describes a collection of patterns for building web sites. The book begins with a short chapter on the foundations of good design, which provides principles, standards, and focuses on customer-centric goals. The core of the book is the 12 design categories based on real examples which are described in detail. Clearly, the metadata repository vendors should all read this book and apply as many of the patterns as possible. However, is it possible to create patterns for enterprise metadata?
Posted by Todd at 6:43 PM
Random Thoughts
The web is what? The is unstructured, the web is volatile, the web is dynamic, undocumented, unfettered, invalid, confusing, difficult, challenging, wondrous, exciting, uncontrollable, big, amateur, monumental, the web is completely opposite to the corporation. Built by passion, built 24/7, dreams, vision, leadership, etc.
The corporation is structured, organized, limiting, documented, classified, hierarchal, professional, built by rate, built 8/5, edited, audited, quality, managed,
What we have here are two extreme environments that define out daily lives; one is chaos the other is pre-ordained. .
Posted by Todd at 6:41 PM
July 7, 2006
Simplicity in Design: A Metadata Imperative
Every year or so, I get on my soap box about the absolute horrid state of usability in the metadata repository space. The last time I took this stand, the hate mail came poring in about how our product was different. I suppose it’s easier to deny there is a problem than to actually fix the issue. I do understand that technology products are built for technologists and most implementations do not include a large number of business users. Why are metadata products built with a focus on functionality (complexity) versus usability (simplicity), because that’s where the money is! As Willie Sutton the bank robber said when asked why he robbed banks, 'because that's where the money is'.
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Posted by Todd at 12:53 AM