Summary of The Business of Understanding

The Business of Understanding is written by Richard Wuman, and it begins with the explanation of what an information architect is. Wuman begins to explain an effective information architect differs from an ineffective architect. Effective architects makes the information they are explaining understandable to others. Wuman then states that the key to understanding is to understand what it is like to not understand, and that answering questions is rewarding and asking them is not rewarding. Also that being able to admit when you do not know something, that it will in turn make one able to learn more. Then Wuman introduces the topic of Aesthetic Seductions. He states that seduction is usually linked to sexual appeal, but in fact seduction has always been a part of design. In design seduction is not referred to the meaning of sexual appeal. Next He introduces the concept of LATCH.
Latch stands for location, alphabet, time, category, and hierarchy. Location is described as the natural form to choose when one will attempt to examine and compare information. Alphabet stands for a method in which one can take large groups of information and be able to organize them, examples of this would be a dictionary and a phone book. Time gets put into play when trying to organize information over a set period of time. Category is in relation to organizing good, like how a department store would organize their merchandise. Lastly, hierarchy refers to the organization in magnitude. For example when prices are organized from low to high. Next he introduces vantage points, and how it is important to look at the information from other angles therefore one will be able to examine and assess the information more clearly and creates structure. This also helps one look at the information in terms of opposites. Lastly, Wuman states that there are two parts to solving any problem, the first part being what you want to accomplish, and the second how you are going to go about doing so.