>"*Nobody* understands information architecture." >- Peter Morville, IA Summit 2014 There are many definitions of [[information architecture]]. And it's also possible that IA is undefineable. [[Is IA undefinable?|I gave a short talk about that once.]] Here are a few definitions of IA that I like. [[Jorge Arango]] - Information architecture is concerned with the structural integrity of meaning across contexts. [[Nate Davis]] - Information architecture (IA) is a field of study concerned with sustaining shared understanding and alignment with conceptual clarity. [^1] [[Robert Glushko]], from [[The Discipline of Organizing - Professional Edition]] - “The activity of Information Architecture (is) designing an abstract and effective organization of information and then exposing that organization to facilitate navigation and information use.” [[Richard Saul Wurman]] - An individual who organizes the patterns inherent in data, making the complex clear. - The person who creates the structure or map of information that allows others to find their personal paths to knowledge. - The emerging 21st-century professional addressing the needs of the age focused on clarity, human understanding, and the science of the organization of information. [[Dan Ramsden]] - The intentional arrangement of things and their parts to make meaningful, resilient and useful places for experiences to happen in. [[Abby Covert]] - Information architecture is the way that we arrange the parts of something to make it understandable. [[Dan Klyn]] - IA is Ontology, Taxonomy, and Choreography. - “Ontology refers to the particular MEANING of our product or service—what we mean when we say what we say. Taxonomy is the arrangement into clearly articulated parts, or the STRUCTURE of that meaning. Choreography describes the rules for interaction among the parts, or how to ensure that the FLOW through that structure is clear and untroubled.” [^2] [[Peter Morville]], [[Lou Rosenfeld]], [[Jorge Arango]] In [[Information Architecture - For the Web and Beyond]] - The structural design of shared information environments - The synthesis of organization, labeling, search, and navigation systems within digital, physical, and cross-channel ecosystems - The art and science of shaping information products and experiences to support usability, findability, and understanding - An emerging discipline and community of practice focused on bringing principles of design and architecture to the digital landscape “Were you expecting a single definition? Something short and sweet? A few words that succinctly capture the essence and expanse of the field of information architecture? Keep dreaming!” --- **Relates to**: [[Concepts/information architecture|IA]] [^1]: [Disambiguation of Information Architecture — Methodbrain](https://methodbrain.com/2018/10/08/what-is-information-architecture-2/) [^2]: [Understanding Information Architecture — The Understanding Group (TUG)](http://understandinggroup.com/information-architecture/understanding-information-architecture/)