Jul 2, 2005
Why more is not better
Information architects, like myself, spend their days organizing huge messy blobs of information (e.g., most of today’s web sites) so users can find what they need more easily, and so site owners can manage their information more efficiently. Information architects, it’s embarrassing to admit, get excited about things like taxonomies, search engines, site indices, and content maintenance policies. And more than anything, we natter on about how successful sites are the result of planning before implementing, leading us to create site “blueprints” just like real “bricks-and-mortar” architects do.
So you might be surprised to read I am now going to criticize a site for being over-architected. Frankly, I’m surprised too. And this is a site I actually enjoy. But Brint.com, “the Premier Business and Technology Portal and Global Community Network for E-Business, Information, Technology, and Knowledge Management,” makes my head spin with too much of a good thing. Have a look at the site’s main page and you’ll see what I mean.
Okay so the article is really from 2000 but Brint.com hasn’t changed that much since then. It’s an interesting article and what Rosenfeld is talking about can be applied even today for many sites.