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Michael Fry This is a huge loss for the IA community (as well as kind of heartbreaking for me on a personal level). While Lou, Peter and the rest of the folks at Argus shouldn't have a hard time keeping themselves busy/employed after they leave Argus, their importance to the field of IA can't be overstated. Their contributions include: * the book. I'm not sure I'd call it a bible, but it certainly put IA on the map and is easily one of the Top 3 most significant resources available to anybody remotely connected to IA. It's (justifiably) highly regarded and, as such, continues to give IA an important presence. * dozens of articles in Web Review and other mags, all of which gave IA a voice to those who knew that there was more to the Internet than technology and graphic design...and helped those who didn't understand that IA was something they needed to consider. * regular postings on the CHI-Web listserv designed to clarify, educate and provoke. Lou and his coworkers have consistently been a source of guidance and direction when IA issues were being discussed, particularly in the pre-SIGIA-L days. * presentations at conferences otherwise focused on usability, technology etc. Again, Peter and Lou gave IA a voice where it hadn't previously existed. * the ACIA (including its bibliography, interviews, seminars and IA summits devoted exclusively to our field). As far as I'm concerned, ACIA is to IA as usableweb or useit.com are to the usability community--indispensible as a resource. * this listserv! Thanks to their efforts, IAs now have a community they can tap into. * the development of the IA SIG in ASIS&T. A major professional/academic society now officially recognizes IA as an important, stand-alone field. I'm sure there's lots more that I'm overlooking and/or forgetting, but the point is that Argus gave all of us in IA a spiritual home. They provided leadership and identity where little had existed before. Their demise, in my mind anyway, has to be considered a terrific loss to all of us. I know Lou and Peter won't go away, but it's hard to imagine what things will be like knowing that the IA ground-zero is gone. On a more personal note, this announcement is no less of a loss. Lou and Peter's IA book was like an epiphany to me when I read it 3 years ago. It gave me a label for what I'd been doing and made me realize that what I did was a legitimate endeavor. Moreover, Lou personally helped me clarify my own career goals, understand how IA related to things like usability, HCI, etc., and gave me a sense of direction. As a direct result of both the book and Lou's guidance, I am now getting a Master's in Libary & Information Science at Drexel University. In short, it's really not an exaggeration to say that I attribute a lot of my current "state" to the efforts and generosity of Lou, Peter and the rest of the Argus/ACIA folks. So to Lou, Peter and all the rest of the crew at Argus and ACIA, thank you for all you've done. Despite the aforementioned list, I doubt your impact on what we do and how we do it can really be quantified--nearly every one of the major developments in IA (as I see it) were spearheaded by you. That you're now forced to close up shop is nothing short of tragic. My very best to all of you, Michael Fry |
