Duncan Stephen @duncanstephen.net

Indeed. I think the fact that it's a survey throws people off. People think of surveys as performing a very different job to top tasks. People tend to turn to analytics to answer this sort of question. But of course that only tells you how the current IA is performing, not how it could be improved.

17.07.2025 13:08 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Top tasks survey — One weird trick to improve information architecture and user experience One of the most powerful methods in information architecture and user experience is also one of the least well-known. The top tasks method uses a single survey question that tells you exactly what matters most to your users. I find it so effective that I’m amazed more people haven’t used it.

One of the most powerful methods in information architecture and user experience is also one of the least well-known. The top tasks method uses a single survey question that tells you exactly what matters most to your users.

17.07.2025 09:12 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Services are verbs combined with nouns Information architecture normally focuses on the objects that need to be represented in a system. Some human-centred practitioners focus instead on the tasks users need to do. These approaches are sometimes framed in opposition. But combining these techniques can make services and systems easier to use as well as more efficient to manage.

Services are verbs combined with nouns

26.06.2025 10:10 — 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Keeping it real in the age of artificial intelligence Amid technology-focused hype cycles, the job of human-centred practitioners is to remind everyone: the main reason people use technology is to enhance our connections with other humans in the real world.

Amid technology-focused hype cycles, the job of human-centred practitioners is to remind everyone: the main reason people use technology is to enhance our connections with other humans in the real world.

02.05.2025 08:04 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Sorry for venting but another example today of how What3Words have engineered an over reliance on their platform in UK emergency services.

Came across a car which was up on the verge at a strange angle, obviously not parked - 3 cars ahead of us drove past it but experience makes me always check.

21.04.2025 17:37 — 👍 33 🔁 21 💬 3 📌 4

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions. This has been brought into sharp focus for me since I started a role last year focusin...

"The decline of information architecture is harming us all." duncanstephen.net/the-pain-in-...

11.04.2025 17:14 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions. This has been brought into sharp focus for me since I started a role last year focusing heavily on information architecture, to the annoyance of my wife Alex, who is an actual architect.

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions.

09.04.2025 20:28 — 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions. This has been brought into sharp focus for me since I started a role last year focusing heavily on information architecture, to the annoyance of my wife Alex, who is an actual architect.

The pain in a name — Is information architecture right to call itself architecture? I have long felt uneasy about modern occupations associating themselves with high-status traditional professions.

09.04.2025 20:28 — 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0

Thanks for sharing Nick! Glad you found it interesting

03.03.2025 14:34 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Object-oriented approaches in action There are several benefits of building a content model in an object-oriented way. This post walks through those benefits, and demonstrates a real-life example of how this approach works on a well-know...

There are several benefits of building a content model in an object-oriented way. This post walks through those benefits, and demonstrates a real-life example of how this approach works on a well-known website.

duncanstephen.net/object-orien...

25.02.2025 16:41 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

How we are following an object-oriented approach to structuring information Decades-old approaches are being brought up to date with new techniques to create a robust way of structuring content to enable reuse and make content management more efficient.

How we are following an object-oriented approach to structuring information

Decades-old approaches are being brought up to date with new techniques to create a robust way of structuring content to enable reuse and make content management more efficient.

17.02.2025 17:02 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Yes. This is the first time I've attempted it because any other project I've worked on hasn't been remotely ready for it. I'm finding the hardest thing is communicating all the possibilities. There is so much potential, but it involves big changes in ways of working and thinking.

10.02.2025 21:24 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 2 📌 0

The object of information architecture In my job at the Scottish Government, we are understanding the opportunities that can be provided by following an object-oriented approach to structuring our information.

We are understanding the opportunities that can be provided by better structuring our information. We are using a variety of robust information architecture techniques, including an increasingly popular method called object-oriented user experience (OOUX)

10.02.2025 20:52 — 👍 7 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 1

There’s no such thing as a technology problem Information has become the forgotten half in “information technology”. Tech companies are struggling because they aren’t focusing on the human problems they need to solve.

There’s no such thing as a technology problem

04.02.2025 22:05 — 👍 4 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0

A plea for the lost practice of information architecture — Vicky Teinaki I was sad to learn earlier that ( Vicky had been a designer for a few different government departments and public sector organisations. I didn't know her well. But I have read her blog posts for years, and I was delighted to encounter her in meetings about structured information since I joined the civil service a few months ago. I was struck by how she demonstrated both fresh thinking and wisdom.

A plea for the lost practice of information architecture — Vicky Teinaki

12.01.2025 22:11 — 👍 18 🔁 5 💬 0 📌 0

I'm very sad to learn this news. I didn't know her well. But I have read her blog posts for years, and I was delighted to encounter her in meetings about structured information since I joined the civil service a few months ago. I was struck by how she demonstrated both fresh thinking and wisdom.

12.01.2025 21:23 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0