Tim Salam

I join my bretheren, silent and outspoken alike, in offering words of appreciation (and upset). However, I insist on maintaining some optimism (a task in this time of industry difficulties and economic turmoil). In that, I mean perhaps Rosenfeld, Morville, et al will return in some other incarnation and continue to feed the IA discipline with wisdom and guidance. They may not be gods, but they're the closest we have! :)

Soon after I bought "the book," I posted the following comments at O'Reilly's website about the book. Note the date:

"March 02, 2000 My name is Tim Salam, I'm 25 years of age, and about to finish a degree in advertising. Starting two years ago, I got into the internet. In particularly, I became enamored with the art of web site creation - enough so to be pursuing it as my career of choice now.

Just a few weeks ago, while starting out my last semester, I got hired by an organization attached to my university to work on their web site. One week into it, I discovered that the current site was simply unusable, due to a veritable "grab bag" of information architecture issues. At a preliminary meeting with the organization's higher-ups, I suggested that the site be torn apart, blueprinted from the ground up, and fully re-designed. They agreed, and assigned me the duty of completing that task.

That's when I freaked out. What do I know about how to make a web site truly clean and usable?

Now, thanks to Rosenfeld & Morville (as well as O'Reilly), I know a great deal. I had some initial thoughts, but "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web" blew me out the door with inspiration.

Now, I run madly about the university's offices, asking constant questions, creating surveys and questionnaires, and chanting my current mantra, "Feedback! Feedback! I must have feedback!"

Realizing how valuable feedback is in the process of re-designing the site I'm charged with, I thought it important to return the favor. Namely, the favor of empowering me to be at my best with my employers, identifying real issues and arranging real solutions, instead of just doing what I think would "work."

This book has given me a lot to start on. I have zero formal training, and everything I know, I taught myself. I consider this book to currently be the single most important book on my shelf - though it's usually under my arm as I move about my school campus!

I had previously purchased "Designing Web Usability," by Jakob Nielsen, when I purchased your book. Between finding his signature on the foreword and "O'Reilly" labeled on the front, I knew I was in terrific hands before I barely even breached the preface.

To Rosenfeld and Morville: Thank you for your insight. Sure, you got your thanks when I plunked down my hard-earned bucks on that book, but I've discovered it's worth it's weight in platinum. And besides, I happen to know that there are some things more valuable than money. One of them is a heartfelt "thank you," going out to you from an aspiring web developer, cloistered in his apartment at 9:45 p.m., with ideas in my head and your book before me.

And thanks to O'Reilly, who I've found I can count on in a time of need. I thought you should know, when I'm in any bookstore, I scan the shelves for your books, because I've learned the importance of refusing to compromise on quality. When clients invest substantial responsibility in me, you've often paved the way...

Thanks very much. And yes, tonight I'm rather wordy. However, I fully understand the value of feedback... ;)

Sincerely, Tim Salam" You can find that review post here: http://www.oreilly.com/cgi-bin/reviews?bookident=infotecture Now I look at myself, roughly a year later. My knowledge and understanding of the subject and my experience in the field is far greater. I love my job, and I love learning more and more. It's nice to have a post like that to look back on. I sound like (and remember myself as) a "youngster" in IA, wild about the idea and stunned that FINALLY found something I'm good at and love. I recall many a time leaning heavily over the table toward my boss and pleading to redesign, claiming the users would burst into flames and never come back if we didn't.

The funny part? I still do that <laughing>, well to some extent at least. What does that mean? Perseverance. Sad that Argus is gone? Again, optimistic 'ol me says, "Think about perseverance..." Maybe Argus isn't shutting down - maybe it's going through a serious redesign. :)

It's all about point of view. Thanks again, Argus. See you soon after the break.

Tim Salam
Information Architect
marchFIRST