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If you read technology columnists and analysts, you might be duped into thinking that a taxonomy is simply a software product -- not unlike a corporate portal -- that builds a navigation hierarchy or directory like Yahoo! While it is true that such software products are in abundance, a taxonomy is actually defined as a 'classification set' -- a system popularized by biologists that has been in use for centuries before software was even invented. So while a taxonomy can be used to build a directory or navigation tree, it is in essence a rulebook -- and it's usually built the old-fashioned way, from scratch.
Taxonomy & Search
If used properly, a taxonomy is used in association with the search engine to enhance its potential and its relevance. Most popular search technologies (though not all) can be directed to index, search and retrieve content based upon the meta tag descriptions (using a taxonomy) for each file, document or Web page.
"If everyone would subscribe to such a system and create good meta data for the purposes of describing their goods, services and information, it would be a trivial matter to search the Internet for highly qualified, context-sensitive results: a fan could find all the downloadable music in a given genre, a manufacturer could efficiently discover suppliers, travelers could easily choose a hotel room for an upcoming trip," espouses Doctorow in a recent article Metacrap: Putting the torch to seven straw-men of the meta-utopia.
Taxonomy & Trust
So why aren't more organizations using meta tags and taxonomies? "The reason why (Internet) search engines don't rely on meta data has to do with trust," says Andrew Houghton, a software engineer with the nonprofit Online Computer Library Center, a global library cooperative serving 41,000 libraries in 82 countries. "Anyone could place unrelated or misleading information in them to manipulate the search engine result lists."
Therein lies the "people" dilemma again: meta data is only as good as the author. This means that, on the public Internet, it would be impossible to create and maintain a global taxonomy.
"However, in the corporate arena it's a different story. Once the trust and/or quality issues are resolved then taxonomies, thesauri, and classification systems can be more effectively used… by categorizing the results," says Houghton. "Instead of getting thousands of documents on cookies, you could get them grouped by their semantic meaning (snack food, computer code, slang term for a cook, etc.). Depending upon the search query you could use a taxonomy to limit the search results."
Next Month
Once again it's confirmed that technology cannot stand-alone and that human beings are still relevant. In part II of our look at taxonomies and improving the search function, we'll look at the crushing effects of 'information overload' and how some technology solutions automatically build taxonomies, meta tag content and dramatically improve the efficiency of searching content.
A former journalist and regular columnist for Intranet Journal, Toby Ward is a senior intranet consultant and the founder of Prescient Digital Media. For a one-day evaluation and benchmarking consultation, visit (www.PrescientDigital.com).
Other Intranet Insight Columns by Toby Ward:
Feed The Monster: Turning Employees Into Journalists (Part I)
Communicators and content managers frequently fret over the challenge of 'feeding the monster'. The monster in question is the intranet; the food is 'content'.
Feed The Monster (Part II)
Last month, we began our two-part look at one of the biggest challenges facing communication and content managers today: feeding the monster. Of course, the "monster" in question is the intranet, whose insatiable appetite for content has led companies to turn to employees.
Five Winning Intranet Characteristics
The answer to any question by any Cisco employee is "check the website." What are the winning characteristics of successful corporate intranets? Here are five winning characteristics…
Measuring the Dollar Value of Intranets (Part I)
In the first part of a two-part article on intranet return on investment (ROI), IDM looks at the challenge of justifying intranet investments.
Measured intranet ROI benefits (Part II)
In part two of a two-part article on intranet return on investment (ROI), Toby Ward explores the potential hard and soft investment benefits.