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TRULY, IA
ANDREW HINTON | WIAD 2017 | ATLANTA
I’M A MESS
These are the slides and notes for “Truly, IA” — my talk at the World Information Architecture Day
event in Atlanta, on February 18, 2017
Andrew Hinton / andrewhinton.com
I don’t know about you, but … I’m a mess. I mean, lately. Like, especially since about this time last year. I
don’t think I’m the only one.
So today I want to talk about something a little bit bigger than the typical design conference talk. I want to
talk about Truth. I’ve been seeing the phrase “post-truth” lately — as in “we’re living in a post-truth world.”
And since information architecture is about what things are, and where they go, and how they’re
connected, it seems to me we ought to consider how we can do that kind of work if truth is being called into
question.
For example, a recent event occurred that caused shock and consternation among millions of people. It
resulted in violet arguments between friends and family members, couples and coworkers. It made us
question who our neighbors really are, and how they see the world.
I’m speaking, of course, of The Dress.
On February 26th in 2015, a photograph of a striped dress went viral on the Internet, and people were
obsessed with it. How could two people be looking at the same picture and see completely different
colors? It made some of us wonder if the rest of the world was playing a prank on us. Because reality felt
like it was bending in an uncomfortable direction, and we weren’t in on the joke.
There are valid explanations for this phenomenon. They involve the complexities of visual perception,
digital media, and linguistics. An underlying question has to do with what is blue? what is white? Is it the
pigment used in the fabric, or the color we think we see in the photograph? How would we categorize such
a dress in a product catalog?
Thank you for coming today!
I’d like to reiterate by the way that the IA Institute is a great organization, and can always use your support.
Contribute, join, or volunteer!
Now, for the talk … and folks, I have to confess something.