Subject: Joshua Porter on Blogging, Information Architecture, and Faceted Classification systems

From: "Bob Wyman" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 11:47:43 -0500

I strongly recommend reading Joshua Porter's recent article in "Digital Web
Magazine."

http://www.digital-web.com/articles/home_alone_content_aggregators/

He comments on the impacts that blogging and aggregators are having on the
design and information architecture of web sites. As we define the
technologies that will support syndication in the future, it is important
that we try to understand the impacts that these technologies will have on
the systems with which they interact.

Some quotes:
"Aggregation hinges on gathering content from other domains. This
dramatically affects the search for content. Users no longer need to start
their search in the domain where the content lies. In fact, they almost
never do."

"the [Information Architecture] that ends up getting users to the target
content page isn't the one on the site they end up on, it's the aggregator's
site's [Information Architecture]."

"What does it mean that our content is increasingly becoming part of an IA
that is not of our own making? Should we be concerned that aggregators are
increasingly allowing users to find their own ways to use our content how
they see fit?"

"Aggregators are promoting a shift in the control of content. They're
challenging the idea that we as designers control public access to
information in our domains, that users must view things in the way we
prescribe, and that our hierarchy is best to present our content."

Thanks to John Panzer of AOL for leading me to this article. See:
http://journals.aol.com/panzerjohn/abstractioneer/entries/993

		bob wyman