Information architecture in library and information science curricula

Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science & Technology, Dec 2001/Jan 2002 by Robins, David

The term information architecture (IA) is among the latest buzzwords in the library and information science (LIS)/usability/human-computer interaction (HCI) community. It is attractive to the LIS community for a number of reasons, as we will see. IA is also somewhat controversial because it is a new term for skills and knowledge already in existence. In this paper, I will discuss how IA is being handled in some LIS programs, and then I will suggest some mappings between traditional LIS curricula and the marketplace for information architects.

But first, my academic compulsion requires that I define IA. From my own experience designing websites and from others' experience and writings, I can make some sense of what IA is. IA is difficult to define because it means different things to different people. IA, however, is currently used to describe the design of user experience for Webbased environments. Elements of the user experience include navigation systems, documents and graphic design. In order to create user experience, an IA must have skills ranging from document markup to project management to database design. Certainly, some of the very skills that are the traditional staple of LIS education are among those considered central to IA. For example, information organization is the foundation for document management and navigation systems in large websites, much as it is for collections of paper-based documents. Since IA seems to be closely linked to LIS, let's take a look now at how IA is being integrated into formal curricula.

Current Standing in Curricula

One of the problems with identifying which schools offer programs or courses in IA is that IA may be taught under different names, which is not to say that people should change course names such as "Website Development" to "Information Architecture." I am simply making the point that pieces of IA are probably being taught at LIS schools and may not be found by doing searches on each school's website. Part of the reason that schools are not rushing to adopt the term IA into their curricula is that the term may be considered a fad, or at least an ill-defined area of study. Universities, by and large, are not agile enough to create degree programs or even concentrations that might only be relevant for a few years.

Nevertheless, IA is being offered in one way or another in higher education. Most programs and courses are offered at the graduate level. Many are offered in LIS programs, but there is competition from other disciplines. For example, both Capitol College and the Illinois Institute of Technology offer an MS in Information Architecture (Capitol College, 2001; Illinois Institute of Technology, 2001). These programs offer a largely technical approach to IA (e.g., networking hardware and software and databases), and stress neither the user experience nor formal approaches to the organization of information as might be done in LIS schools.

The LIS schools that have committed resources to IA pay considerable attention to user issues. The Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, for instance, offers a masters in information science (MIS) with a concentration in "UserOriented Information Architecture and Interactive Design." Indiana's MIS program does not ignore technology, but includes it in the context of how it can be brought to bear in solving user information problems.

Kent State University's (2001) new interdisciplinary Information Architecture and Knowledge Management program represents a different approach to IA. They have combined expertise from six campus units (Communication Studies, Computer Science, Journalism and Mass Communication, Library and Information Science, Management & Information Systems and Visual Communication Design) to provide more coverage of the topic.

Other LIS schools that offer courses with "information architecture" in the title or description include the University of Pittsburgh (2001) and the University of Michigan (2001). These programs offer an array of classes that would easily support an IA curriculum, including courses in XML and Digital Libraries.

In my experience as a faculty member in LIS schools, the faculties have been concerned that their curricula offer students the best possible chance at quality employment after graduation. In order to do so, faculties develop courses such as those offered at Pittsburgh, Michigan and California. The marketplace for LIS graduates is changing, but it might be a good place to start when deciding how much curriculum to commit to IA.

Mapping IA Curricula to the Marketplace

We can't talk about the marketplace for information architects without admitting that the future is uncertain. The economic downturn that began in late 2000 and the September 11th attack on the United States have left many of us wondering about the future. Yet, whatever the future holds, we must assume that Web development, and information technology in general, will continue to provide opportunities for information professionals. The Occupational Outlook Handbook (2000) offers the following projection for librarianship: