In 2002 I passed through a gate labeled “Information Architect” (a smaller sign read “now leaving Content Strategist”) and ever since the IA worldview has informed my approach to the design and building of digital spaces. Since then I passed through additional gates with names such as “Interaction Designer” and “Pattern Detective,” and “Design Manager” among others, most recently a gateway called “Head of Product.”
The journey has (in retrospect) been a quest to understand and build meaningful online spaces, leading up to a startup trying to scale compassion globally.
In this talk I will share how the skills I learned as an IA have helped me on this career journey and through this series of gates in search of meaning.