‘Readers are forgiving about superficial disorganization‘ writes the author behind http://www.hypertextnavigation.com/. The site is a few years old, but in many ways he’s dealing with the same issues IAs do today, such as the taxonomy dance. This bit, to me, describes a place of tension where meaning meets presentation, where a user’s experience meets organization…

having a coherent, interesting concept for a site is more important than having an organized site. Coherence of the ideas being communicated is not the same as coherence of presentation. Coherent thinking *leads* coherent presentation. Ideas are *good*, before they are *organized*. Readers are forgiving about superficial disorganization if the information is interesting enough to them.

Years ago I ran a book exchange, circulating books out into the world and even getting a couple different ones back in return. This idea has been joined with social software at Book Crossing. Register a book and its location on the site and release it into the world. Others find it, read it, release it back into the world, and update the location on the site. Free to members, it seems to have potential as a business venture for the founder.

IA, the Italian version. Dove mi trovo?

‘There are certain things that we know we can do. Showing up for work relatively close to the contractually obligated start time is one. Watching TV is another. We also know, in a general sort of way, that we could probably tie a decent enough knot to secure a docile cow to a pole for several hours.

Writing a novel, unlike cow-tying, is not something you really ever know for sure you can do. It’s one of those frighteningly unpredictable activities like lawn darts and breakdancing that people with all their faculties tend to shy away from.’

I decided to join 22,000 others finding out if we are able to write a novel this month. If I succeed, and if the quality is above that of doggie poo, I’ll share it with you, perhaps next year.

Happy birthday to me. This means I get to eat chocolate marble cake with chocalate sauce dripped over the top dipped into a bowl of espresso. My love bought me Transatlanticism (mp3s), which rocks a little more than Death Cab’s previous albums. Also, a lovely wool scarf. The sun is shining through the leaves that the wind is blowing off the trees and after this blessed Indian summer I am ready for winter.

I’d like an iPod, but can’t seem to justify the cost. A friend at work has two, a 15GB for spoken word and a 40GB for music, both of which are full. ‘It has changed my life,’ he says. Thems strong words.

Funny that we so easily find ways to fill up 55GB of hard drive space.

Ohmigod, totally fucking brilliant: This Might Be a Wiki, a wiki for all things They Might Be Giants. How better to connect a community of music fans who are also nerdy then to let them make a website together? I was able to find the lyrics to the rare Tiny Doctors, so I’m happy.

Lately Peterme is posting lots of interesting thoughts related to HITS, About With For, and the Power of Design conferences.

Speaking of groovy IA peeps, Jess McMullin has just launched nform, a user experience consulting practice, in Edmonton. Jess is one of the best people ever, hire him.

We just assembled a great lineup of design folk for this year’s AIfIA Board of Advisors. I’m expecting great things.

You can make a donation to the Boxes and Arrows hosting fund with just a few clicks.

James and I attended Why Games Matter, centered on celebrating Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman, called by Warren Spector the only current book to focus on game design, as opposed to merely the mechanics of making games.

Somewhat ironically the most interesting commentary came not from Salen or Zimmerman but from the other speakers. Spector at one point said, perhaps blasphemously, Sometimes people don’t want interaction. I think of this when I arrive at sites like Stuart Moore which gives you control or can display itself like a movie, unvieling the content in a linear story.

Challis Hodge has launched Experience People, a user experience search firm. I have to respect the moxie he has to launch a recruiting practice in this economy. It makes sense to pick a niche he knows – design practitioners who get it and employers who get it – and he probably doesn’t need to fill many positions to make a living, given the low overhead. Nice work!

Saw Gus Van Sant and Diane Keaton on Charlie Rose yesterday discussing Elephant (trailer), their new film about a high school shooting reminiscent of Columbine. It looks awesome, telling the story as a documentary instead of what was the only viewpoint available previously, the victims’.

A new IA book, which isn’t so rare anymore, by Alan Gilchrist and crew: Information Architecture: Designing Information Environments for Purpose.

Also, What is Web Design? by Nico McDonald. Never met him, but he seems like a smart guy. That title manages to stay short, on topic, and also target a audience with a certain expertise. It looks to be a treatise on process and organizations with several case studies.