When Design Meets IA: Building Content That Actually Works
A practitioner-driven walkthrough of how design and information architecture must work together — not in sequence, not in silos — to build content experiences that hold up in the real world.
What To Do If You Don’t Have An IA On Your Staff
Most teams doing structured content work don't have a dedicated information architect. That doesn't mean the IA work doesn't need to happen — it means someone on your team is already doing parts of it without the title or the framework. In this session, I walk through the distinction between management IA and delivery IA, and what a small team can do to make real progress on both without hiring a full-time specialist.
The Information Architect's Role in a Successful DITA Implementation
Most DITA implementations underestimate what information architecture actually requires — and that gap shows up in the content well after go-live. In this STC presentation, I walk through the distinction between management and delivery IA, how the DITA Maturity Model maps investment to return, and what an information architect actually does at every stage of the content lifecycle, from authoring through delivery.
Content Components Podcast: Everything Information Architecture Part 3
How do you know if your information architecture is actually working? Amber Swope and Patrick Bosek discuss IA validation, troubleshooting, and the difference between platform-dependent and independent deliverables.
Content Components Podcast: Everything Information Architecture Part 2
How do you become an information architect when there's no official degree or certification path? Amber Swope explores the career routes that lead to the IA role in part two of this series.
Content Components Podcast: Everything Information Architecture Part 1
What is information architecture, where did it come from, and why does DITA make it powerful? Amber Swope and Patrick Bosek cover the foundations in part one of this three-part series.
Insights with Experts: Information Architecture Evolves
Information architecture isn't a one-time project — it evolves as your content and business needs change. Amber Swope explores IA maturity models, metadata strategy, and how to know when it's time to level up.
Uncompromise your content: Maximize your CCMS investment with information architecture
Most organizations underuse their CCMS because their information architecture isn't ready for it. Amber Swope shows you exactly what to fix before your CCMS can deliver on its promise.
How to Build a Successful Business Operating Model with Content Governance
Content governance is one of the most misunderstood investments an organization can make. Amber Swope explains how to build a governance model that actually supports your business goals rather than slowing your team down.
Boston DITA User’s Group: Developing a DITA Content Model
A DITA content model is often the first thing cut when deadlines are tight — and it's always a mistake. Amber Swope walks through her methodology for building one efficiently, even under pressure.
Coffee and Content: Developing Information Architecture in an Agile Environment
Agile and information architecture don't always play nicely together — but they can. Amber Swope explains how IAs can use backlogs, content stories, and sprint planning to stay ahead of the development team.
Scriptorium Podcast: Understanding Information Architecture
What does information architecture actually mean — and what does an information architect do? Amber Swope unpacks the discipline, including her distinction between management IA and delivery IA, in this conversation with Alan Pringle.
Becoming an Information Architect: Episode 2, Part 1
How do people actually become information architects? Amber Swope surveyed 35 IAs to find out — and shares what their paths, roles, and day-to-day work really look like in part one of this three-part series.
Using Structured XML to Power your Learning Content
Learning and training content has the same reuse problem as technical documentation — and the same solution. Amber Swope explains how DITA XML gives L&D teams one structured source that powers any delivery platform.
Automate to Stay Up-to-Date: 5 Ways to Maintain Your Training Content
Most learning and training teams can't keep their content up to date — not because they don't try, but because their content architecture makes maintenance harder than it needs to be. Amber Swope shares five ways automation and structured content can fix that.
DS Podcast Episode 1: Meet DITA Strategies
New to DITA Strategies? This is where to start. Amber Swope introduces the firm, explains what information architecture and DITA can do for your content, and describes who she helps.
DITA XML as a Neutral Content Source for Educational Publishers
Educational publishers can't afford to maintain separate content for every delivery format. Amber Swope explains how DITA XML creates a single neutral source that powers print, digital, and personalized learning — from one place.