Taxonomies & Classification for Organizing Content

1. Taxonomies & Classification for Organizing Content Brian Lewis INF 385E - Information Architecture November 14, 2005

2. Overview • Why organize? • Organization schemes & structures • Definitions of classification & taxonomy • Characteristics of classification & taxonomy • Classification design • Taxonomies design • Conclusions

3. Why do people organize things? • To understand - create frameworks • To explain - create relationships • To control - create intentionally designed frameworks and relationships

4. Why do IAs organize things? • All those same reasons • "The way we organize, label, and relate information influences the way people comprehend that information." (Rosenfeld & Morville, 2002, p. 50) • For findability

5. How do IAs organize things? • Organization schemes - groupings based on characteristics of content items • Organization structures • Defines pathways between content items • Provides navigation

6. Definitions • Classification • Organization scheme • "Collection of labeled boxes to put information" (vanRees, p. 4) • "Systematic arrangement in groups or categories according to established criteria" (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

7. Definitions • Taxonomy • Organization structure • "Orderly classification (of plants and animals) according to their presumed natural relationships" (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary) • "A hierarchical arrangement of categories within the user interface." (Rosenfeld & Morevllle, p. 65)

8. Simplified Metataxonomy? Finding aids Controlled vocabulary Classification Taxonomy Thesauri

9. Characteristics • Classification • Implied relationships between items in a group • Can be hierarchical • Navigational aid • Subject to interpretation

10. Characteristics • Taxonomies • Relationships are inherent in the structure • Is hierarchical by definition* • Navigational aid • Browse • Constrain search • Linking to preferred terms • A form of classification

11. Classification Design • Exact organization schemes • Well defined • Mutually exclusive • Examples • Alphabetical • Chronological • Geographical

12. Classification Design (cont.) • Ambiguous • Items don't fit neatly into a group • Examples • Topic • Task • Audience • Metaphor • Hybrids

13. Taxonomy (hierarchy) design • Simple hierarchy • Top-down - exact content not known • Bottom-up • Breadth / Depth • Polyhierarchy • Allows cross listing • Useful in ambiguous classification schemes • Facets • "focuses on the important, essential or persistent characteristics of content objects" (The Knowledge Management Connection)

14. Conclusions • Distinctions but some overlap • Useful for organizing information • Make information accessible • Support mental models • Make Web sites more usable • Make Web sites seem smaller • Powerful way to create meaning

15. References • Garshol, L. (2004). "Metadata? Thesauri? Taxonomies? Topic maps! Making sense of it all." Journal of Information Science, 30 (4), pp. 378-391. • Modjeska, D., & Marsh, A. (1997). "Structure and Memorability of Web Sites." Toronto: Computer Science Research Institute of the University of Toronto. • Rosenfeld, L. & Morville, P. (2002). Information architecture for the World Wide Web. Cambridge; Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly. • Taylor, A. (1999). The organization of information. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. • The Knowledge Managmement Connection. Faceted Classification of Information. Retrieved on November 13, 2005 from http://www.kmconnection.com/DOC100100.htm

16. References (cont.) • Van Duyne, D. K., Landay, J. A., & Hong, J. I. (2003). The design of sites. Cambridge: Addison-Wesley. • Van Rees, R. (2003). Clarity in the usage of the terms ontology, taxonomy and classification. CIB73 2003 Conference Paper. http://vanrees.org/research/papers/cib2003.pdf

17. Questions ?