Short answer
When designing digital products or services, consider the broader information ecosystem and how users will interact with content across multiple platforms and media.
- Field
- Classic Design
- Source
- Etudes de communication/Études de communication (2013)
- Method
- Conceptual analysis and historical review
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Information architecture has broadened significantly since the 1990s, moving beyond web design to encompass a multi-disciplinary approach that considers complex cultural objects as transmedia information ecosystems. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2013 study published in Etudes de communication/Études de communication. Using Conceptual analysis and historical review, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing digital products or services, consider the broader information ecosystem and how users will interact with content across multiple platforms and media.
Information Architecture Evolved: From Web Design to Transmedia Ecosystems
Information architecture has broadened significantly since the 1990s, moving beyond web design to encompass a multi-disciplinary approach that considers complex cultural objects as transmedia information ecosystems.
Etudes de communication/Études de communication · 2013
Key Findings
- 01Information architecture has transitioned from a postmodernist to a pseudo-modernist paradigm.
- 02The field has expanded from web design to include design, systems thinking, architecture, cognitive science, cultural studies, and new media.
- 03Contemporary information architecture views cultural objects as complex, transmedia information ecosystems.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing digital products or services, consider the broader information ecosystem and how users will interact with content across multiple platforms and media.
How to apply
When planning a new digital product, map out all potential touchpoints and information flows, considering how they relate to each other and to existing user behaviors and cultural contexts.
Project actions
- 01When defining your project's scope, consider the 'information ecosystem' your design will exist within.
- 02Research how similar information is presented and accessed across different media (e.g., apps, websites, physical products).
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a strong theoretical framework for understanding the evolution of information architecture.
- +Highlights the interdisciplinary nature of modern design practice.
Limitations
The paper is from 2013, so some of the 'new media' examples might be outdated. The focus is also more on theory than practical implementation steps.
Reliability & validity
The paper's conclusions are based on conceptual analysis and historical trends, making direct empirical testing of its claims challenging. Its validity lies in its theoretical coherence and explanatory power for observed changes in the field.
Think critically
How does the concept of 'pseudo-modernism' influence the design of information architectures today, and what are its implications for user experience?
Design Principles
"Design for interconnectedness: Information and user experiences should flow seamlessly across diverse platforms and media."
Understanding this evolution is crucial for designers working with digital products and services. It highlights the need to adopt a holistic perspective, integrating insights from various fields to create meaningful and interconnected user experiences across different platforms.
What This Means for Your Design
Information architecture used to be mostly about making websites. Now, it's a much bigger deal, involving lots of different subjects to figure out how information works everywhere, not just on one website.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this to justify a broader scope for your design project, moving beyond a single artifact to consider its place in a larger system.
- 2.Cite this to explain the historical development of information architecture as a field.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The evolution of information architecture, as discussed by Resmini (2013), highlights a shift from a focus on individual websites to a more complex, multi-disciplinary understanding of information as transmedia ecosystems. This broader perspective is essential for contemporary design projects, requiring consideration of how information is structured and accessed across various platforms and cultural contexts.
Source
Etudes de communication/Études de communication
Les architectures d’information
journal · 2013
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about information architecture evolved: from web design to transmedia ecosystems?
- When designing digital products or services, consider the broader information ecosystem and how users will interact with content across multiple platforms and media. Evidence: Etudes de communication/Études de communication (2013).
- Why does "Information Architecture Evolved: From Web Design to Transmedia Ecosystems" matter for design?
- Understanding this evolution is crucial for designers working with digital products and services. It highlights the need to adopt a holistic perspective, integrating insights from various fields to create meaningful and interconnected user experiences across different platforms.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing digital products or services, consider the broader information ecosystem and how users will interact with content across multiple platforms and media.
- What were the main findings?
- Information architecture has transitioned from a postmodernist to a pseudo-modernist paradigm.. The field has expanded from web design to include design, systems thinking, architecture, cognitive science, cultural studies, and new media.. Contemporary information architecture views cultural objects as complex, transmedia information ecosystems.
- What research method was used?
- Conceptual analysis and historical review.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2013 journal from Etudes de communication/Études de communication.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When planning a new digital product, map out all potential touchpoints and information flows, considering how they relate to each other and to existing user behaviors and cultural contexts.
- What are the limitations?
- The paper's focus is primarily theoretical and historical, with less emphasis on specific, actionable design techniques for contemporary practice.