February 05, 2004
Information Architecture
Okay, here's a quickie.
Working with metadata in libraries, I follow the field of endeavor recently cobbled together under the ill-defined title Information Architecture (see links on the extended entry page). One of the ways I stay 'plugged in' to the IA community is by keeping track of the email list for the ASIST SIG-IA (American Society of Information Science and Technology) (Special Interest Group-Information Architecture).
The folks who regularly post to that list never cease to amuse me.
Anyway, the reason for this post is to send you to this website, http://www.mcmaster.com/, presented to the list as an answer to the following two questions,
- How many top-level categories on a web-site is best.
- How many levels of links are best.
Defying conventional wisdom this site works!
Quoting the poster:
"as many as needed" is usually the answer. for example, my husband thinks
this site < http://www.mcmaster.com> is the best thing since sliced bread,
and points out how great the homepage is. Now that would rate as clutter to
most designers.. but not to the geeky happy free-wheeling scientist whose
dream of being able to buy one .05 millimeter ball bearing, or a sheet of 24
carat gold mesh can come true
here..
Metal Cam-and-Groove Hose Couplings!
Straps & Hangers!
Lubricants & Penetrants!
Drivers & Knockout Punches!
Rotary Motion Vibrators!
Standard and Slug-Buster Round Knockout Punches and Sets!
Duct Tape!
Information Architecture links:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/infotecture/
Posted by MetaMetadata at February 5, 2004 01:17 PMThere is supposed to the html code for "table rows" and "table columns" in that comment above. Between the "a" and the "in". Do postings accept html?
Posted by: Commander J at February 5, 2004 04:03 PMNo, they don't.
Posted by: Commander J at February 5, 2004 04:05 PM