Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, Second Edition

The Two Kinds of People in the World

Now that we’ve covered the need to sell it, just what is involved in making the case for information architecture? That depends upon whom you’re making the case to. To grossly overgeneralize, we’ve found that business people typically fall into two groups: “by the numbers” folks, and “gut reactionaries.”

The “by the numbers” people require data to help them make their decisions. They need to see figures: “If we invest X dollars into this information architecture thing, we’ll make or save 2X dollars.” They rationally consider return on investment (ROI) as the basis for their business decisions. Makes sense, right? Well, as we’ll see, it doesn’t. But you still need to understand this mindset, as you’ll encounter it again and again.

“Gut reactionaries” do what feels right. They trust their instincts and often have plenty of good experience to draw on. They consider the intangibles when they make decisions. And they’re often suspicious of numbers and how well they depict the “real world.” The success of the case you make to gut reactionaries often depends on luck as much as anything else, as the intangibles are as dubious as they are fuzzy. So, just in case, you’d better dust off that suit before sitting down with a gut reactionary.

Ultimately, when you’re making the case for information architecture, you don’t know which of these narrow and extremely unfair stereotypes will describe your client. So be prepared to discuss both the numbers and the ...