An IA who loves to make sense of messes
Change management gets a bad rap. Maybe it s because the words themselves sound like corporate speak. Or maybe it s because most of us have been on the receiving end of badly managed change and we re still scarred from the experience. But here s the thing: if you re doing information architecture work, you re doing change management work.... The post The Sensemaker’s Guide to Change Management…
You can see the mess. You ve even got the imagination to fix it. But somehow, you can t seem to get anyone else on board with making it better. If this sounds familiar, you re not alone. As sensemakers, we have a special knack for spotting chaos in systems, language, and structure. But having the vision to... The post The Sensemaker s Guide to Collaboration appeared first on Abby Covert,…
The difference between good sensemaking and great sensemaking isn t just about having the right answer. It s about understanding what return you re getting from the time, energy, and resources you put into making sense of complex problems. This article covers: What is Return on Investment in Sensemaking? Return on Investment (ROI) in sensemaking is the measurable... The post The Sensemaker s Guide…
You know that moment when you have a brilliant idea for fixing something that s clearly broken, but then you realize the hard part isn t figuring out the solution—it s getting everyone else to see it too? Welcome to the real work of sensemaking. The messy, human part where good ideas go to die unless you know... The post The Sensemaker s Guide to Arguing appeared first on Abby Covert, Information…
Let s cut to the chase: taxonomy is one of those words that makes people s eyes glaze over. But here s the thing, you re already doing it whether you know it or not. Every time you organize your photos into folders, sort your emails, or decide which drawer the kitchen scissors belong in, you re creating a taxonomy.... The post The Sensemaker s Guide to Taxonomies appeared first on Abby Covert,…
Metadata is everywhere. It s the invisible backbone that makes our digital world work. Yet most people treat it like an afterthought—slapping on tags and labels without much care. That s a mistake. Good metadata can transform chaos into clarity. Bad metadata makes everything harder to find, use, and understand. This article covers what metadata actually is,... The post The Sensemaker s Guide to…
At its core, a controlled vocabulary helps groups of people speak the same language, even when they come from different backgrounds or departments. It's the difference between talking past each other and truly connecting. The post The Sensemaker’s Guide to Controlled Vocabularies appeared first on Abby Covert, Information Architect .
A straightforward overview of visual tools that anyone can use—regardless of artistic ability. The post The Sensemaker’s Guide to Diagramming Modeling appeared first on Abby Covert, Information Architect .
If I had a nickel for every time someone told me their information architecture project failed because the stakeholders just didn t get it, I d have enough money to buy everyone reading this a coffee. Here s the truth that nobody tells you when you re learning about IA: the best structure in the world won t survive contact... The post The Sensemaker’s Guide to Stakeholders appeared first on Abby…
Picture this: You re standing in front of a mess that needs making sense of. Maybe it s a product that s grown too complex, a process that s gotten unwieldy, or a team that s lost its way. You know something needs to change, but where do you even start? Enter heuristics your trusty flashlight in the dark.... The post The Sensemaker’s Guide to Heuristics appeared first on Abby Covert, Information…