One of the easiest ways to understand how quickly an organization strategy can become convoluted, confusing, and difficult is to look at the standard method used for organizing information on a personal computer. The idea started out right enough, using a system of files and directories to store various kinds of information and programs using meaningful names to help the users recognize and identify the information contained in a given location. Unfortunately, there soon developed such a web of files in different locations, Microsoft had to develop a tool called Explorer to help people search for where things went. With over a quarter of a million files located on a computer, the processing speed has to be quick just to complete a spyware or virus scan of the system.

When a person organizes information, there are several basic questions that must be answered by the system of organization. These questions are:

1. What am I organizing?
2. Where am I going to put it?
3. How am I going to find it again when I need it?

Answering these basic needs is much more complicated than it would appear on first glance, as evidenced by the number of methods available for organization of information that do not provide effective solutions. Whether a person is dealing with business information, personal data, computer programs, documents, or groceries, the means for developing an efficient system of organization requires a closer look at where any system gets out of hand.

When the organization process begins, the person must be able to define and remember what objects are being organized. Defining categories of objects is a process that is easy enough, because it is driven by a personal desire. We look at documents like tax information, letters, timesheets, research data, personal records, and other categorical information in large quantities that need to be managed on a regular basis. Establishing these categories of organization is always the first thing to consider.

As the process continues, the next step is usually to find a location for the information, then to arrange the categorized information into some form of logical sub process that allows us to search through the information quickly to retrieve it. Often, this takes the form of alphabetical, time/date, or some kind of numerically arranged system of sorting each individual piece of information. In the case of computer based systems, there is usually a categorical directory, sub directories within the category, and finally the individual files which contain the desired information.

When it comes time to retrieve the information that has been organized, the person must retrace the thought processes of the first two steps, then conduct a search that leads back to where the information resides. The key to a good organization system is to establish a logical process of categorization, location, and retrieval to result in maximum efficiency. In most systems, it is the growing inefficiency of searching during retrieval processes that comprise the weakest link in good organizational management. In fact, it is the searching/retrieval process that takes up the most time resources in managing any kind of information. To improve the effectiveness of an organization system, if it were possible to eliminate the traditional search processes for retrieving information, the new method would save a great deal of time and effort. In other words, if a person no longer needed to be concerned with where information resides once it has been cataloged, they could retrieve the information by simply knowing what they want to retrieve.

With computers, it is now possible to organize information by creating an automated retrieval system as part of the initial organization process. This system allows the user to select the category of information they want to deal with, choose the item within the category, and the computer manages the process of locating the item within the system, and presenting it for interaction automatically. This means that people can have instant selection access to files, documents, programs, web locations, personal data, time based information, and other data simply by recalling what it is they want, without regard for where it is.

The process flattens the convolutions of multi tiered organization systems like computer directories and files to a level that is organized by category and item, no matter how deep the layers of physical sub directory structures have become. In many cases, concern for defining items within categories can be circumvented as well, allowing users to get immediate access to individual items by calling the item directly with natural language control, and allowing the computer to retrieve the information without any further user interaction. This one or two step system of organization is one of the most powerful tools to be incorporated into software design since the advent of computers.

Director of Software Concepts
BHO Technologists - LittleTek Center
Teaching computers to work with people. We make software more fun for everyone. Stop by for a visit to our web site, and see what a difference ITL technology makes!

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