If you ask two information architecture specialists what they do for a living, you’ll likely get two very different answers. That’s because it’s not very often that two information architects perform the same job function, even within the same company. Add to this the fact that the field of information architecture is still really in its infancy – even though the work itself isn’t anything that anyone would relegate to a child to handle – and you’ve just asked an even more difficult question.
At the risk of further encouraging your insistence on asking tough questions, we’ll tell you this much: Information architecture specialists are tasked with doing something that very few people know how to do – designing complex information systems that drive a business. Enterprise information architecture can run the gamut from designing proprietary systems that are used on a daily basis by company employees, to designing the architecture of interactive websites that customers use.
Because enterprise information architecture is so difficult to nail down, it makes sense that many employers end up taking a hit and miss approach when filling positions in this particular line of work. To phrase it simply, companies are sometimes at a loss to be able to determine if the person they’re about to hire will be a complete wash or a knockout success. It’s for this reason that many approach third party creative staffing agencies to help them narrow their potential employee choices.
If you’re an information architecture specialist seeking employment or a company interested in hiring information architects, working with a third party staffing agency can be that one smart move that eliminates the guesswork and facilitates the act of getting on with business.
