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
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

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. CIB Conference Paper.

17. Questions ?