Blog 7: Organization Information

Organizing Info:

1. Ambiguity. The idea that words in languages can often be ambiguous, and refer to several meanings. By allowing more than meanings to be acquired in one word can sometimes cause confusion to the readers. Objects classification is important in order for users/readers to find the exact, specified object they are looking for. Therefore comes the labeling systems to make it easier to distinguish them into classes

2. Heterogeneity. It refers to the objects that comprise a lot of different things which do not necessarily relate to one another. For instance, library would be a heterogeneity where catalogs, videos, books, magazines, etc. Whereas in web sites, access to various kinds of documents is available. Multiple elements can also be made to be interactive.

Organization Schemes

* Exact organization schemes: It divides information into mutually cohesive and navigational sections. Very easy to use for all users/readers. The divisions of it would be: 1. alphabetical (Ex: Phone book). 2. Chronological (Magazines & TV guide). 3. Geographical (States border, etc)
* Ambiguous organization schemes: It divides information into categories that defy exact definition. Somehow the information is portrayed through ambiguous way of language & organization. Can be difficult to use. Why some people use it? Because "they do not always know what exactly they are looking for".1. Topical. 2. Task-oriented. 3. Audience- Specific. 4. Metaphor-driven. 5. Hybrid Schemes ==> [A mental model made with a purpose of understanding any other schemes (Topical, Task-oriented, Audience-specific, Metaphor-driven). Its examples are commonly found on the Web]

Organization Structures

1. Top-Down Approach. Should be a well-designed architectural hierarchy. To make a simple yet mutually exclusive subdivisions like parent-child hiearchies with parents (more general) placed higher than the children (more specific). A good example would be the family tree.
Designing Hierarchies:
Do tomatoes belong in the fruit categories or vegetables? A lot of objects in this world would be considered ambiguous and to make it clear, we should place them not only in one category, but more (as needed). In order to design the hierarchies, we need to take into account the breadth (be sensitive to the cognitive limits of human mind) and depth (be more conservative). 2 types of hiearchy:
* Broad & shallow hiearchy ==> giving numerous options at the beginning, then one depth on each one. effective for new websites & intranets.
* Narrow & deep hiearchy ==> allowing users to click to 6 times to get into more in-depth of each link.
The hierarchy should not be everything, it is just a component for making a cohesive organization system.
Hypertext
It is the highly non-linear way of structuring information. Two key components: Items or Chunks of information to be linked and the links that connect those chunks. It is very flexible, however it may induce confusion to readers. It allows a useful relationship within the area of hierarchy.
2. Bottom-Up Approach [The relational database model]
The use of database which contains most of general information, even about us too (Ex:names, addresses, etc). A powerful field-specific searching is an advantage of a database model (like ZIP code). But database has limitation as well. It requires all data to be matched under the same field, or else it won't work.