Pervasive Information Architecture: Designing Cross-Channel User Experiences

As physical and digital interactions intertwine, new challenges for digital product designers and developers, as well as, industrial designers and architects are materializing. While well versed in designing navigation, organization, and labelling of websites and software, professionals are faced the crucial challenge of how to apply these techniques to information systems that cross communication channels that link the digital world to the physical world.

Pervasive Information Architecture provides examples showing why and how one would:

Model and shape information to adapt itself to users' needs, goals, and seeking strategies

Reduce disorientation and increase legibility and way-finding in digital and physical spaces

Alleviate the frustration associated with choosing from an ever-growing set of information, services, and goods

Suggest relevant connections between pieces of information, services and goods to help users achieve their goals.

*Master agile information structures while meeting the unique user needs on such devices as smart phones, GPS systems, and tablets

*Find out the 'why' and 'how' of pervasive information architecture (IA) through detailed examples and real-world stories

*Learn about trade-offs that can be made and techniques for even the most unique design challenges

Customer Reviews:

Great thesis, unbearably verbose

By constantinescouncil - May 14, 2011

First, the thesis of pervasive information architecture reflecting the manner in which information is accessed and interacted with in current technologically and marketing driven global society is profound and insightful. The authors really dig deep into the philosophical, sociological and psychological underpinnings of their thesis, and do so with varied and authoritative references. A definite contribution to the conversation.

Second, however, they are incredibly verbose in communicating their thesis. So much so that of the 230 pages of text, 150 or so could be cut and the reader would still be able to walk away with as much insight as they would reading the entire text. References to authorities of various disciplines, and supporting logic of their claims are supplemented with very lengthy illustrations and case studies that are whimsical and entertaining to family and friends, but for those who are busy and looking to grasp the future of IA are (at least to this reader)... read more

Excellent! Golden Gate to the IA realm

By Raul "Ratamahata" - August 26, 2011

I found this book really good.
Eventhough I agree with previous comment in terms of length of verbiage, I felt this book provided an invaluable insight in lots of different aspects of information architecture.

My background is not on web design or development, but I've come to this field based on the goal of increasing value of users, by enabling platforms in order to easier people to find what they're looking for and increse efficiency. This book cover such a wide topic in a very interesting and profund way. The books is mainly structured like this:

Chapter 1. From Multichannel to Cross-channel
Chapter 2. Toward a Pervasive Information Architecture
Chapter 3. Heuristics for a Pervasive Information Architecture
Chapter 4. Place-making
Chapter 5. Consistency
Chapter 6. Resilience
Chapter 7. Reduction
Chapter 8. Correlation
Chapter 9. Designing Cross-channel User Experiences

Authors take you to history, cases,... read more

Great, inspiring book. Plenty of ideas.

By S. Manzoli - October 31, 2012

I agree with previous readers that this book provides great content.

As per the form, I didn't find it verbose at all. Instead. It's a beautiful read, that never gets too technical. The authors tell a different story at every chapter, divert from linear path of argumentation, borrow from literature, music, philosophy, anthropology. That's true. But this gets the whole thing only better.
Reasons:
1. They trigger readers' curiosity
2. They help keeping an open mind - IA is not only technical stuff after all. It needs cross-fertilization. The whole book is overflown with ideas and the reader gets overflown too.
3. Examples, stories, case studies help memorization.
4. The book makes you enthusiastic about the topic. Literally. You stop reading and you start thinking - like when you get out of the cinema and start puzzling about the movie you've just seen.

How pervasive it is, the book itself indeed.