Information Architecture and the iPad
I love the iPad (conceptually anyway). I’ve always had a way of doing stuff electronically. (Multitouch accelerated that flow significantly.) Now have a way of consuming stuff electronically.
Think of a kid doing a book report (or, same process taken to the N’th degree, a college kid writing a paper). Text has been the primary of presenting this information. However, that’s an incredible inefficient way of doing business. Most people aren’t trained to design the architecture of the information they’re trying to present. Those who are (think lawyers) aren’t trying to enhance understanding of the information, but instead define each point ad nauseum. There’s a difference.
Now, with this kind of device (extreme usability, intuitive tangibility – use your hands ) it’s not just the NYT that’s going to include. It’s kids doing book reports. Or college kids doing papers. Designing the information you present is going to be as useful a skill as compiling it. Think infographics, sketches, video, interactive white boards. Etc. And we’re naturally going to begin teaching that way.
Hands on tools like the iPad can really help shape that future.
-Shlok
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