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© 2025 World Information Architecture Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (EIN 84-3158026) registered in the state of Florida, United States

On this page
  • Born in 2012 as part of the IA Institute
  • Established in September 2019 as a separate entity
  • Managing transitions towards a new identity

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History

Started in 2012, World IA Day continues to be the flagship global event in the IA community.

Last updated 2 months ago

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Born in 2012 as part of the IA Institute

World IA Day was first established in 2012 as a one-day annual event held in dozens of locations across the world and hosted by the Information Architecture Institute (IA Institute). It was started by , and the first 14 cities to host World IA Day.

Abby and Dan had a vision to create a one-day celebration focused on advancing the practice and education of information architecture. The key here was to create something that was for the community. Their hope was to empower emerging leaders and further the discourse of a growing and, at the time, contentious discipline.

Established in September 2019 as a separate entity

Managing transitions towards a new identity

This transition for World IA Day as its own governing body started with the end of the IA Institute and requires a process of letting go, realigning, and re-identification before World IA Day re-emerges with its new identity.

In September 2019, the Board of Directors of the IA Institute as a 501(c)(6) professional board of trade. With no fiscal host, World IA Day needed a way to continue to exist. A founding board for World IA Day, Inc. was selected for the sole purpose of establishing a charitable nonprofit organization and to provide fiscal support for the 2020 event to continue.

Shortly after World IA Day, Inc. is designated as a public charity, section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the founding Board will act in accordance with section 3.2 of the bylaws working in a collaborative and transparent manner to establish for all future Board of Director elections and appointments.

voted unanimously to dissolve the organization
policies and procedures
Abby Covert,
Dan Klyn
Introducing… the new World Information Architecture Association
Watch Abby Covert's greeting for World IA Day 2020