Section A.2. Directories

A.2. Directories

When something is "comprehensive," that typically means it covers everything on a particular domain. However, in the case of directories on the Web, comprehensive is a relative term; there are no absolutes. No single site covers every resource related to information architecture. And if one tried, no business model could support its ongoing maintenance.

So, while there are a few directories of information architecture resources, none will provide you with everything. Instead, it's a good idea to regularly visit multiple directories to find information about the field.

A.2.1. The IAwiki

In the fall of 2001, Eric Scheid established the IAwiki as a "collaborative discussion space for the topic of Information Architecture." Think of the IAwiki as a wonderful shared collection of hyperlinked, annotated bookmarks that anyone can add to, modify, or delete, regardless of who that person is. (You can learn more about wikis from the original wikihttp://c2.com/cgi/wiki?FrontPage.) Of course, this is good and bad. The IAwiki is self-propagating, packed with useful resources, and updated daily. But it's difficult to design and maintain a shared information architecture, so it's not always a snap to find what you're looking for in the IAwiki. The IAwiki's "Recent Changes" page, which lists what's new on the site, is the best place to start.

A.2.1.1. The Information Architecture Library

The Information Architecture Library on the IA Institute's web site (http://iainstitute.org/library/) contains a growing list of resources for IAs. The library is organized by subject, resource type, author, and languages, and it is actively seeking to expand its non-English resources.

A.2.1.2. InfoDesign

Peter Bogaards deserves acclaim for his regular, consistent, and expert filtering of an incredibly huge amount of material (http://www.informationdesign.org/). This site covers information design, usability, visual design, and information visualization as well as information architecture. Also available via email.

A.2.1.3. IxDA's Resource Library

IxDA has begun developing a categorized resource library on all aspects of interaction design (http://resources.ixda.org/).

A.2.1.4. Additional Resources

Two additional resources that are no longer updated but still contain lots of great information, especially for those who are newer to the field, are Usable Web (http://www.usableweb.com/) and the Argus Center for Information Architecture IA Guide (http://argus-acia.com/ia_guide/).