> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.information-architecture.world/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.information-architecture.world/content-collection/collections/world-ia-day-2015/making-places-andrea-resmini-wiad15-zurich.md).

# Making Places - Andrea Resmini - WIAD15 Zurich

## Making Places. Information Architecture in a Post-Digital World.

### Resource information

* **Presenter:** Andrea Resmini
* **Event:** World IA Day 2015 Zurich
* **Date uploaded:** 2015 Sep 13
* **Duration:** 56 minutes 37 seconds
* **Format:** Talk
* **Language:** English
  * **Original audio:** English
  * **Subtitles:** English (auto-generated)
  * **Transcript:** Not Available
* **Tags:** #placemaking #WIAD Switzerland #worldiaday #wiad15 #wiadch #WIAD #IA #Information Architecture

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What happens when we all are co-creators, products become services, information is accessible and remediable on the move 24/7, and cyberspace is not some 3D simulation but a part of the world around us?

### Summary

This talk by Andrea Resmini reframes information architecture beyond websites and sitemaps, arguing that IA now operates across pervasive, cross-channel ecosystems where physical and digital experiences blend seamlessly. It's especially valuable for IA practitioners, UX designers, and service designers looking to understand how their work extends into "blended spaces" and why designing for coherent, ethical cross-channel experiences is the discipline's real frontier.

### Key Takeaways

* **Information Architecture has evolved beyond websites**

  IA is no longer about sitemaps and navigation menus for individual websites. It now encompasses pervasive, cross-channel ecosystems that connect websites, phone calls, emails, physical locations, and multiple organizations. The French school enrollment story perfectly illustrates how broken experiences result from failing to architect these complex, multi-touchpoint journeys.
* **We live in "blended spaces" that merge physical and digital**

  Resmini introduces the concept of blended spaces. These are environments where digital and physical seamlessly interweave, like using Yelp to find a restaurant, WhatsApp to coordinate with friends, and Uber for transport. These aren't "virtual" or "augmented reality" overlays. They're fundamentally new places we inhabit daily. Designing for these spaces requires understanding that users create personalized ecosystems from available services.
* **Post-digital means digital is now invisible infrastructure**

  We've moved past treating digital as special or separate. Like electricity or running water, digital connectivity has become compost for new ideas. It's ubiquitous, expected, and only noticed when absent. This cultural shift means IA must focus on seamless cross-channel experiences rather than individual digital artifacts.
* **Blended spaces change rules invisibly. Designers must make architectures visible**

  Services like Uber and banking systems are silently ranking users, optimizing experiences, and changing affordances without transparency. IAs have an ethical responsibility to make these pervasive architectures visible and understandable. Otherwise, we risk building panopticons that control users without their awareness. The examples of internet censorship and customer ranking systems show the stakes involved.
* **IA is a foundational layer, not just a specialty**

  Rather than being a discrete job title, information architecture should be understood as foundational knowledge for anyone doing design work. It provides the structural continuity that allows users to move across different interfaces and touchpoints. Practitioners need to look backward to disciplines like urban planning and traditional architecture for insights, not just forward to the latest digital trends.

{% hint style="info" %}
*Transcript, summary, and key takeaways generated using AI assistance and may not capture all nuances of the original presentation.*
{% endhint %}

## Video

{% embed url="<https://vimeo.com/139147607?fl=pl&fe=sh>" %}

Watch on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/139147607?fl=pl\&fe=sh)

## Slides

{% embed url="<http://www.slideshare.net/resmini/making-places-45596367>" %}

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## Related resources

#### Tools & references mentioned

* **"Information Architects" by Richard Saul Wurman** (1996-97) - Early foundational text on information architecture
* **"Information Architecture for the World Wide Web" by Peter Morville and Louis Rosenfeld** - The "polar bear book" that made IA practice mainstream
* **"Beyond Digital" by Nicholas Negroponte** (1998) - Article predicting digital would become "banal" and serve as compost for new ideas

***

### Part of Collections

* [World IA Day 2015](/content-collection/collections/world-ia-day-2015.md)

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