[Theforum] Re: Sub-categories

Madhu Menon webguru at vsnl.net
Sun Dec 16 02:47:50 CST 2001


I'm gonna take a step here, and ask why the tone of your message suggests 
that I somehow insulted your intelligence and that I said something akin to 
"You didn't put any thought in building the site". I did no such thing.


At 01:36 PM 12/16/2001, aardvark typed these words:
>i'm gonna take a step here, madhu, and state first off that your
>insight is valuable... i also want to say that much (all) of what you
>detail below has actually been discussed in painful detail in the
>past, so we *are* familiar with these issues...

Perhaps, but I haven't seen it discussed in theforum. It may have been 
discussed in admin while building the site last year, but since this is a 
bigger group (many of whom were not privy to your earlier discussions) and 
since we *are* considering redesigning the site, I just revisited the issue.

"We" is not the same group it used to be. It's 55 people now. If it's been 
discussed before, please tell us what was discussed and what conclusions 
you reached. I'm not assuming anything. Assumption is dangerous.


>it may be hard to
>believe based on what you see on the site, but we have actually
>spent a lot of time going over this stuff...  i also didn't

I don't understand why you think I'm attacking you (as in all of you) or 
your abilities, or why I would think that no thought was put into building 
the site. Is there something I've done that's bugging you?


>most people would search it, because yahoo is so dense and
>deep... i don't consider yahoo a valid analog here...

I *didn't* use it as an analogy. I specifically used it as an example of 
what *not* to do, since we *don't* have that much content.


>i understand, but don't forget that there are some IA guys here
>already...

I know that.


>while i don't call myself an IA expert (i don't even use the
>term to describe myself), i spend a *lot* time doing UI testing and
>research... and there are enough others here, too, who've been
>considering these issues since day one...

Again, why do you see my post as a reflection on your abilities or experience?


>(in fact, what does it take to call yourself an IA expert?  is there a
>guideline?  can i start calling myself one because i've worked on UI
>development for almost ten years now?  or that my own assertions
>always bear out in user testing?  or just because i can quote Fitt's
>Law and know Tog isn't a drink?)

Nope, there is no guideline. Call yourself an IA expert by all means. I 
don't call myself one, fwiw. I don't have a library science background either.


>- i'm not going to agree with you on everything you're saying, and
>given your matter-of-fact statements about what's good or bad in
>IA, i want to make sure that you know you'll get challenged (so you
>don't think i'm ambushing you or just waving my wanker)...

Well, I expect debate. That's what a mailing list is for, isn't it?
Are you objecting to me stating my opinions on IA or anything else? What 
else am I supposed to do? Keep quiet? I can do that too.



>- we have a survey out there that's going to help us with *some* of
>these decisions, so your suggestions may be jumping the gun...

I *did* say I wasn't making any suggestions. It's towards the end of my 
message. I said it was a gut feel.


> > I'm not making recommendations yet, but my gut tells me that: a) Any

Yes, this was the line I referred to.


Madhu





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