Nathaniel Davis is a practitioner and theorist in the field of information architecture. In April 2010 he launched the DSIA Research Initiative and DSIA Portal of Information Architecture in an effort to begin defining and communicating a distinct discipline of information architecture that is centered around theory, research and practice. He can be reached at natedavis.iamethodbrain.com. L ook around you. You're probably in a room with at least 50 recognizable objects: lights, carpet on the floor -or maybe hardwood or tile; a table, a chair -windows along a wall; a computer monitor, keyboard and a mouse. There's possibly a tablet computer, paper or pen close by. Your shoes, pants and shirt can be included -even your arms and legs that are in view. With each object, you are able to discern texture -dimples on the flat-coated wall created by the impression of a paint roller; the veining along the molding around a door frame, created by a paint brush; the woven pattern on the chair across the room. Shapesβ¦colorβ¦depth.
If we refer to known science and remind ourselves that our sense of sight is aided by the interaction with photons that reflect off the surface of every object within the room, we realize our eyes and brain are transacting millions of photons in a fraction of a second.
Within this brief moment, our sense and orientation within and of the room is given dimension by a cognitive symphony that is orchestrated by a rhythm played out by the remainder of our human senses -sound, touch, smell and taste.
This process continues with each recurring fraction of time -second-bysecond, minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour. Now, imagine stepping outside to absorb a panoramic dose of Mother Nature! Information is approaching you from all around -from the aromas of the bakery down the block to light from the distant sun.
While we appear to easily take on Mother Nature -who packs the "information heat" of the universe -in the digital domain we somehow
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Information Overload, Reloaded