• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

IAC: Information Architecture conference

IAC: Information Architecture conference

  • IAC23 New Orleans
    • Tickets & Registration Info
    • Conference Theme
    • IAC23 for Everyone
    • Venue – InterContinental
    • Experience NOLA
    • COVID-19 Policy
  • Program
    • Schedule
    • Speakers
    • Workshops
    • Poster Night
    • Career Center
    • Activities for First-Timers
    • Social Activities
  • Sponsor IAC23
  • About
    • Code of Conduct
    • Vision & Values
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
    • Scholarships
    • Past conferences
    • IAC Advisory Board
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • IAC23 Volunteers
Home / Sessions / The Great Debate: Should IA be a job title or a skill set?

The Great Debate: Should IA be a job title or a skill set?

IAC23

Time(s)

April 1, 2023
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM CT

Location

A / La Salle A

Description

Are Information Architects a thing of the past? Or the only folks out there who are going to make sense of this mess? And if not them, who is best positioned to shepherd the structure of our shared information spaces into a better state? How do we ‘future proof’ our discipline?

In this debate, we’ll pit industry experts against each other to determine answers to these questions and more, once and for all. Or, at least, unpack some of the situations and contexts that really require dedicated IA expertise… and what we might need to ‘share’ with our colleagues for great impact in the future.

Join us for this spirited live debate, hosted by Optimal Workshop.

About the speakers

Danielle Cooley
Danielle Cooley

Danielle has over two decades of experience applying a number of strategic user experience research techniques to a wide variety of products, including hardware, medical devices, Windows, web, telephone, and mobile. Her work has benefited such organizations as Pfizer, MasterCard International, Fidelity Investments, Hyundai, Graco, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Mayo Clinic, and more.

She has a BE in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and a MS in Human Factors in Information Design from Bentley University and has run her own bespoke UX Research and Strategy consulting practice since 2009.

You can find Danielle online at http://dgcooley.com, and she tweets sometimes @dgcooley.

Kelsey Thomson
Kelsey Thomson

Kia ora! I’m a UX Researcher of 11 years and an IA enthusiast with a love of building community. By day I’m the Head of Research at Optimal Workshop, and by night you can find me with a good book, playing video games, or wandering around forests admiring at the beauty that is Aotearoa New Zealand.

Mike Ryan
Mike Ryan

Mike is a User Research Director at Liberty Mutual Insurance. He performs qualitative research to discover insights to inform UX design and strategy. Mike has been working in user experience since 1995. He graduated from Bentley University’s Master’s Program in Human Factors and Information Design in 2008 and is certified in UX by the Nielsen Norman Group. Mike has taught at Northeastern University and has guest lectured at New York Institute of Technology, the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin. He is an active member of UXPA, UX Research & Strategy, and Rosenfeld Media’s Advancing Research Community. He has presented at UXPA Boston, UXPA International, Boston Accessibility, User Experience Lisbon, and UX New Zealand.

Sponsor IAC

We’re looking for organizations who share our commitment to building and sustaining programs that drive a more inclusive industry. Learn more on the Sponsor IAC23 page or contact us directly at info@theiaconference.com for more information.

Thanks to this year’s sponsors!

Logo for sponsor Optimal Workshop
Platinum sponsor
Optimal Workshop
Logo for sponsor Factor Firm
Gold sponsor
Factor Firm
Logo for sponsor Last Call Media
Silver sponsor
Last Call Media
Logo for sponsor Design for Context
Scholarship sponsor
Design for Context

Logo for sponsor A Book Apart
In-Kind sponsor
A Book Apart
Logo for sponsor Balsamiq
In-Kind sponsor
Balsamiq
Logo for sponsor MURAL
In-Kind sponsor
MURAL
Logo for sponsor OOUX Masterclass
In-Kind sponsor
OOUX Masterclass
Logo for sponsor Rosenfeld Media
In-Kind sponsor
Rosenfeld Media

Logo for sponsor UX Camp DC
Community sponsor
UX Camp DC
Logo for sponsor World IA Day
Community sponsor
World IA Day

The information architecture conference ©2022

Privacy Policy ⋅ Code of Conduct