Happiness is taxonomy: four structures for Snoopy

Information Outlook, March, 2003 by Katherine Bertolucci

Perhaps Determined is interested in producing more baby items and wants the artists to be thinking along those lines. There is one baby product: the Linus Thumb and Blanket Doll. These soft and cuddly dolls should be shelved with the other dolls. However, "baby" is right there at the beginning of the alphabet. By creating a baby section at the front of the taxonomy, where all the artists see it first, I have created a subliminal reinforcement of the idea "think babies."

In this case, I was able to use alphabetical order to achieve an enterprise goal. There are other techniques when the alphabet doesn't cooperate. Perhaps Determined wants to promote shoulder bags. There is already a "Fashion [right arrow] Purse" category. Unless we have a lot of shoulder bags, there's no reason for a new facet. However, if I make shoulder bags a distinct subset of purses, regardless of quantity, then I reinforce their importance.

Of course, enterprise goals change and products change. An effective taxonomy must be flexible in order to be current, so I made some structural decisions at the beginning of this project. In the Snoopy taxonomy, each major division has at least one subdivision. For example, in the "Garden" division, there is only one section, "Accessories," which includes planters, small tools, and similar items. The whole division could easily be called "Garden Accessories"; however, that might create an update problem. Perhaps Determined will produce a greenhouse in the shape of Snoopy's doghouse. If the main heading is "Garden Accessories," then we have a logic problem, because a greenhouse is not really an accessory. If the title is "Gardens" with at least one subsection, further products and sections are easily added.

By incorporating current and future client needs into the structure-building process, the taxonomist offers a system that does more than provide access to information. Working with semantics, hierarchical relationships, and adaptability techniques, an information manager can build a taxonomy that supports and promotes the enterprise's mission.

The Future

Two centuries ago, librarians abandoned one of the most important aspects of their profession, the ability to organize information. They gave it away to Melvil Dewey and the Library of Congress. Now that books are no longer the only means of storing information, the cyberworld is seeking organizational skills outside the library community. People believe, perhaps accurately, that librarians do not create new systems; they only place books into clumsy and already established systems.

The future of structured information organization is taxonomy. The standard library classifications are designed only for books, and books are increasingly becoming objects of pleasure. Serious information gathering is online, and the practitioners demand effective gateways. Information professionals must learn how to design new organizational structures.

Your inspiration is your client. Your goal is to fit the structure to the user and not the other way around. Dewey and LC are classic examples of systems in which the structure itself is the primary goal. Let's not make the same mistake as we move into new areas of information management. The client's needs must drive the system.