Information Architecture in Practice

12 Months of Community-Supported Learning with Abby Covert

Ready to transform how you work in 2025? Join a vibrant learning community solving the thorny problems of information architecture - like how to audit massive content libraries, design navigation that actually works, and get buy-in for better organizing systems. Each month, we dive deep into one focus area, building skills you can apply to your toughest information challenges.

Ways to Join

Start anytime. It's never too late.

Each month in 2025 centers on one focus area of information architecture. You'll work alongside Abby Covert to develop essential skills and practical approaches to organizing information.

Your learning path includes four connected experiences each month. Community discussions that explore real challenges, workshops that build concrete skills, resource guides that capture proven methods, and practice sessions where you apply what you learn.

This structured but flexible approach helps you tackle complex information problems with confidence. Rather than just discussing theory, you'll build skills you can apply to your work right away.

Includes:

Weekly Chat Discussions
Deep dive with Abby into specific challenges in our members-only chat channel.
Monthly Video Discussions
Join live conversations moderated by Abby exploring each topic with fellow practitioners.
Group Workshops Every Month
Participate in newly developed workshops incorporating community insights.
Growing Sensemaker's Handbook
Reference our collective discoveries and research in each focus area.

APRIL'S FOCUS AREA

STAKEHOLDERS

Stakeholders in information architecture isn't just about working with important people - it's about understanding who needs your work to succeed and who might block it. Before starting any project, we need to map out everyone with a stake in the outcome.

Think of it like knowing who's sitting at your table. Think of stakeholders like partners with different needs and powers. In information architecture that might mean working with - content creators, technical teams, business owners, and actual users. Stakeholders help you build support by showing where your plans connect to their goals. When we work with these groups to improve information systems, we must look beyond job titles to find hidden influences. Who controls the budget? Do decision-makers understand what users actually need? Is leadership ready to back changes? By learning to spot these key relationships, you'll create projects that actually get implemented. These connections turn good ideas into real-world improvements that help organizations and their customers.

January's Agenda

Approaches, Methods and Tools

Community Chat Discussion

Mondays in April

@ 12 PM Eastern

Join us every Monday in April to explore practical ways to work with project stakeholders.

We'll share approaches that work in the real world, from simple communication methods to complex stakeholder mapping, and learn from each other's experiences with what works and what doesn't.

Who Cares and Why? Getting Real About Stakeholder Needs

Discussion Group

April 4 2025

@ 12 to 1 PM Eastern

Let's cut through the corporate talk to focus on what truly matters to the people who can make or break your project. This honest conversation tackles how to spot the difference between what stakeholders say they want and what they actually need, helps you uncover hidden agendas that impact your work, and offers practical ways to align your goals with theirs.

The Sensemaker's Guide to Stakeholders

Chapter Release

April 11, 2025

Available for FREE on abbycovert.com

Get a clear roadmap for managing stakeholder relationships in any project.

This free guide walks you through identifying key players, understanding their needs, and building partnerships in ways that make sense for your team and goals.

Mapping the People Puzzle: Tools for Stakeholder Management

Workshop

April 25, 2025

@ 12 to 2 PM Eastern

Learn practical methods to identify and work with the people who matter most to your project's success. This hands-on workshop gives you simple but effective tools to map stakeholder influence, understand competing priorities, and build the relationships that turn good ideas into implemented solutions.

MAY'S FOCUS AREA

DIAGRAMMING & MODELING

Diagramming and modeling isn't just about making pretty pictures - it's about turning complex ideas into clear visual formats that anyone can understand. Before solving any problem, we need to map out what we're dealing with in a way everyone can see.

Think of it like creating a map of unfamiliar territory. Models work as shared reference points with different levels of detail and purpose. In information architecture that might mean creating - site maps, user flows, content models, and system interactions. Diagrams help you build understanding by showing how separate parts connect into a whole. When we use these tools to explain information systems, we must look beyond just the data to find meaningful patterns. What process needs to be simplified? Do team members grasp how everything fits together? Is the organization ready to see its structure in a new way? By learning to create effective visual tools, you'll develop solutions that actually make sense to everyone. These visual aids turn abstract concepts into concrete plans that help organizations and their customers navigate complexity.