Stanisław Skórka
Information architecture as an academic discipline is just being discovered. There are many publications mentioned about IA as an academic discipline and its fields of interest. A discipline might be considered scientific when it has its own paradigm. Paradigm is a framework containing the basic assumptions, ways of thinking, and methodology that are commonly accepted by members of a scientific community. IA paradigm involved structural concept says that understanding of a phenomenon or facts (ie. Information, website) requires an exploration of their structure – discovering interrelationships between elements. Among paradigms adopted from other disciplines are following assumptions: every information has its own architecture; information structure changes depending on its content, code, and implemented shape; signs are recognized by the opposition to other signs in the system. Main aim of the presentation will be the analysis of IA research field originating from other disciplines (i.e. philosophy, information science, software engineering, architecture and social communication) that have common ground – a question: what makes an information inform?