Something that left me wondering from InfoCamp2010 this weekend… There seems to be a need to generate more awareness of the role of Information Managers (IMs), in the VALUE-CREATION process of Interactive Design and User Experience refinement.
This is a growing discipline, a group of curious minds intent on addressing concerns across enterprise function groups in quantifiable means. Information Managers are the practitioners in the Human Computer Information Interaction domain that serve a role alongside Collection Archivists, Content Management Specialists, User Experience Designers, Software Developers and Interaction Professionals.
Our focus as IMs is on leveraging inter-disciplinary practices into a context-sensitive framework that generates Value from Information ASSETS. We are trained on how to tease out the unexpressed NEEDS (from WANTS) of the USER to inform a VALUE SET upon which to develop a SOLUTION. We then work to quantify the OPPORTUNITIES, and to NEGOTIATE development resources to instantiate a SOLUTION.
Basically, we get to make information FUN and SEXY! ;P
Sometimes, we’re a little of analyst to gather reqs; other times we’re designers, helping out to settle the spec; we act like content managers to organize the details of the process; and, we then get into the messy business of an Instantiation.
IMs work hard to make your Information Needs more clear, and your development objectives more Focused. But, as a Designer and Project Manager, be cautious yet Brave to include other groups’ systems analysts and project managers into your brainstorming sessions… its always a risk that this individuals could block the CREATIVE process. Yet, it’s essential we include systems SPECIALISTS early in the process.
For all your patience, in the end, they’ll help you not over-engineer your user scenarios. In fact, you’ll probably have better intelligence to inform how to phase out your RELEASES.
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