Comments on: Follow-up: Designing Hierarchical IAs http://bokardo.com/archives/follow-up-designing-hierarchical-ias/ A Blog about Social Web Design Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:52:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: donnam http://bokardo.com/archives/follow-up-designing-hierarchical-ias/comment-page-1/#comment-406 donnam Mon, 04 Apr 2005 00:23:21 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/61/#comment-406 Ahah. So that is the tricky part isn't it. I've been thinking about it all weekend and still can't come up with something simple enough to suit a blog comment - I could write a long article or a book on it ;) I'll keep thinking Ahah. So that is the tricky part isn’t it. I’ve been thinking about it all weekend and still can’t come up with something simple enough to suit a blog comment – I could write a long article or a book on it ;)

I’ll keep thinking

]]> By: Josh http://bokardo.com/archives/follow-up-designing-hierarchical-ias/comment-page-1/#comment-393 Josh Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:27:19 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/61/#comment-393 Donna, I'm all for defining terms. Why don't we start with your definition? Care to share one? Donna, I’m all for defining terms. Why don’t we start with your definition? Care to share one?

]]> By: donnam http://bokardo.com/archives/follow-up-designing-hierarchical-ias/comment-page-1/#comment-386 donnam Thu, 31 Mar 2005 02:30:46 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/61/#comment-386 I've been thinking further on this and you may need to go back one step to have a sensible conversation about this and ask: "What is a hierarchy?" It may sound obvious, but comments on your previous post lead me to believe that a number of people are viewing the concept of a hierarchy slightly differently. Are you wondering why people design sites: * in *strict* hierarchies, where everything has one place and only one place and only one way to get there * in polyhierarchies where the site is hierarchical but content can be accessed from more than one branch Additionally, most sites at least have a breakup of content at a top level. I still consider this hierarchical, even if the information in each section is based on facets or database structures. So I think you may need to think a little more on what you actually want to know. It could then be a great conversation, but we need to be working with consistent concepts. Email me if you want to go through some ideas. I’ve been thinking further on this and you may need to go back one step to have a sensible conversation about this and ask:
“What is a hierarchy?”

It may sound obvious, but comments on your previous post lead me to believe that a number of people are viewing the concept of a hierarchy slightly differently.

Are you wondering why people design sites:
* in *strict* hierarchies, where everything has one place and only one place and only one way to get there
* in polyhierarchies where the site is hierarchical but content can be accessed from more than one branch

Additionally, most sites at least have a breakup of content at a top level. I still consider this hierarchical, even if the information in each section is based on facets or database structures.

So I think you may need to think a little more on what you actually want to know. It could then be a great conversation, but we need to be working with consistent concepts.

Email me if you want to go through some ideas.

]]> By: CM Harrington http://bokardo.com/archives/follow-up-designing-hierarchical-ias/comment-page-1/#comment-379 CM Harrington Tue, 29 Mar 2005 23:21:07 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/61/#comment-379 On the value of serendipity. I'd say it's *very* important, as often, on a public site, the visitor has not been indoctrinated into your controlled vocabulary/methodology. This usually means there is a deficiency in the visitors ability to articulate their question in a way that "fits" with the site. Being able to browse allows the visitor to "feel out" where they need to go, and find a "good enough answer plus related things I didn't know I needed to know" response. On the value of serendipity. I’d say it’s *very* important, as often, on a public site, the visitor has not been indoctrinated into your controlled vocabulary/methodology. This usually means there is a deficiency in the visitors ability to articulate their question in a way that “fits” with the site. Being able to browse allows the visitor to “feel out” where they need to go, and find a “good enough answer plus related things I didn’t know I needed to know” response.

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