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InformationArchiTECH Archives - 1/2006

Throughout my discussions of information architecuture, and in particular the articles concerning categorization, I continuously harp upon a single point: any categorization scheme should be based upon one (and only one) single irreducible attribute. Here I will attempt to explain why.

Consider, for example, that we were an online book store. Hopefully most of us have had some experience with buying books online. Let us outline the possibile mentalities with which one might enter an online book selling website.

> I want a particular book by a particular author, and nothing else will do.
> I want a book on a particular topic.
> I want a book written by my favorite author.
> I want a book written in the 3rd century.

How then would you create a category scheme for your online book business based upon these questions?

First, you should reduce these questions down to the essential attributes they are desciribing.

> Author
> Title
> Genre
> Time

You must next choose which attribute will constitute the primary category scheme.  Genre would be a good scheme to go with, first dividing the fiction from the nonfiction.  The remaining attributes are then applied to each product (book) in an auxillary fashion.  Author, Title, and Time period are all attributes of your products, and users may use these to sort results when they are looking at a product listing on your website.

Since a website is a dynamic, rather than a static entites, categories can be shifted and rearranged as effortlessly as the segments of a Rubik's Cube.  Every visitor enters a website with a different category scheme in mind.  If you are selling products, some are thinking of a brand, others are thinking only of price, while others know the precise name of what it is they are looking for.  However little or much they know beforehand, your website category scheme should be ready to accomodate them.

Understanding the difference between categories and attributes, then, is essential to any well structured sites.  Categories are based upon one, single irreducible attribute, whereas an object may have many, overlapping attributes.

Whether you have a new website and need help categorizing your products or information, or have an existing website whose category structure has become restrictive or convoluted, informationarchitech can help.  Simply contact us for a free consultation.