© 2010 Donna Slawsky Taxonomies and DAM Digital Asset Managers Meetup June 29, 2010

Taxonomies and DAM

Digital Asset Managers Meetup

June 29, 2010

Introduction

Donna Slawsky MLIS, Pratt Institute Metadata and Taxonomy consultant Instructor, DAM for Columbia University

School of Continuing Ed Ontologist, Time Inc. Adjunct Librarian, Baruch College

Questions

Who uses a taxonomy of some form in your DAM? For browsing assets? For keywording assets?

Is someone on staff managing a taxonomy? Do you understand

what a taxonomy is? how taxonomies are used? how taxonomies assist in asset retrieval?

Definition

A controlled vocabulary is a list of words used to tag content and then to retrieve that content through either navigation or search.

Why Use Controlled Vocabularies (CVs)? Offers consistency in language used to describe

content Provides agreement in (semantic) meaning of terms

used Facilitates retrieval Acts as an intermediary between the input of the user

and a database of terms by interpreting the meaning of the words (computers don’t understand word meanings…yet).

Enables search input to better represent the original intention of the use

Provides consistent and clear hierarchies for navigation

What is this?

And this?

How do CVs work? Define the scope or meaning of terms Use the equivalence relationship to link

synonymous or equivalent terms children = kids pants = slacks bags = handbags

Distinguish between homographs:Example: Mercury (planet) Mercury (chemical) Mercury (mythology) Mercury (automobile)

Types of CVs

List Synonym ring Authority file Taxonomy Thesaurus

Source: NISO

Types and Complexity of CVs

Source: NISO

List Limited set of terms arranged

alphabetically or other logical way. Used only if there are a limited number of possibilities.

Example of list from New York Public Library Media Center http://www.nypl.org/help/about-nypl/media-center

Synonym Ring Only used for retrieval, not for indexing of

content items. Ensures that a concept that can be

described by a number of terms retrieves the content items of interest.

The terms are considered equivalent for the purpose of retrieval.

Bill Clinton = William Jefferson Clinton = President Clinton

Authority File

One of the equivalent terms is the Preferred Term (PT) and others are variations Preferred term - term out of all equivalent

terms that will be used to represent a concept Important for consistent tagging Types of authority files include place names,

person names, organization namesBatman (Preferred Term)

Batman USE FOR: Dark Knight, Caped Crusader

Caped Crusader: USE Batman

Dark Knight: USE Batman

Taxonomy

A CV consisting of preferred terms that are arranged hierarchically.

Hierarchical relationships: Broad Terms, Narrow Terms

NTs should be “Type of” or “Part of”

Why Use Taxonomies?

Classifies and categorizes information Classifies and categorizes information (assets in DAM)(assets in DAM)

Enhances retrieval Provides a uniform language for Provides a uniform language for

subjects, asset types, organization subjects, asset types, organization depts., formats, etc.depts., formats, etc.

Taxonomy: Hierarchy of Broad and Narrow Terms

Type of:Vegetables

Asparagus

Brussels Sprouts

Lettuce

Part of: Bicycle

Bicycle Seat

Handlebars

Taxonomy: Broad, Narrow Relationships in a Hierarchy

Source: NISO Standard

Thesaurus

The most complex and detailed CV showing PT (Preferred Term), BT (Broad Term), NT (Narrow Term), RT (Related Terms), UF (Use For), Use, and Scope (term definition) giving a robust understanding of the language used for a subject domain.

See example: USDA Agriculture thesaurus at http://agclass.nal.usda.gov/dne/search.shtml

Taxonomy Examples

Food Taxonomy in ExcelEquivalent terms or synonymsTagging on the ‘leaf’Use of ‘More’ or ‘Other’

Poly-hierarchical taxonomiesOne term, multiple parent terms

The Concept of Facets Facets are attributes of a content item Especially useful for browsing

Example: for a pair of pants: fabric color size brand price

Faceted Taxonomy for Pants

orange

Fabric

leather

cotton

Marc Jacobs

10For more information see sources at end of presentation

Applications for DAM: Class Assignment Does the DAM system contain a tool out Does the DAM system contain a tool out

of the box to create and maintain of the box to create and maintain taxonomies?taxonomies? 9 out of the 13 DAM systems studied 9 out of the 13 DAM systems studied

have taxonomy management capabilitieshave taxonomy management capabilities All 9 enable use of taxonomies in the All 9 enable use of taxonomies in the

user interfaceuser interface One product of the 9 doesn’t enable One product of the 9 doesn’t enable

synonym managementsynonym management

How are taxonomies used to How are taxonomies used to enhance the end-user experience?enhance the end-user experience?

Browse assets Browse assets Narrow down search results Narrow down search results Type aheadType ahead Examples:Examples:

Asset BankAsset Bank Media BeaconMedia Beacon NuxeoNuxeo Canto CumulusCanto Cumulus ADAMADAM

Taxonomy example: animalsTaxonomy example: animals

Animals Animals (level 1)(level 1)AmphibiansAmphibians (level 2) (level 2)

FrogsFrogs (level 3) (level 3)NewtsNewtsToadsToads

BirdsBirdsBirds of PreyBirds of PreyWading BirdsWading Birds

InsectsInsectsBeesBeesBeetlesBeetlesFliesFlies

MammalsMammalsCatsCatsCattleCattleDeerDeerDogsDogs

Asset Bank: multi-level taxonomy browseAsset Bank: multi-level taxonomy browse

Asset Bank: multi-level taxonomy browseAsset Bank: multi-level taxonomy browseAnimals (top level)

Amphibians

Insects

Mammals

Primates

Reptiles

Rodents

Sea Life

Animals

Mammals

CatsCattleDeerDogsHorsesPigs

Animals

Mammals

Asset Bank: image detail

Asset Bank: keyword browse

Asset Bank: browse categoriesAsset Bank: browse categories

Media Beacon: browseMedia Beacon: browse

Media Beacon: narrow down Media Beacon: narrow down search resultssearch results

Canto Cumulus: multi-level browseCanto Cumulus: multi-level browse

Canto Cumulus: manage taxonomyCanto Cumulus: manage taxonomy

Customized two-level browse

ADAM: multi-level taxonomy browseADAM: multi-level taxonomy browse

ADAM: select classification for asset editADAM: select classification for asset edit

Type Ahead

Controlled vocabulary terms

Tips and take-aways User testing is highly recommended for the

search user interface Ask users about search and browse

experiences they like to use on the web Consult with SMEs for vocabularies Keywords and subject taxonomies are usually

two different CV’s Don’t re-invent the wheel to create subject

taxonomies. Many are available free or through a licensing arrangement. See http://www.taxonomywarehouse.com

Authority lists are available through the Library of Congress http://authorities.loc.gov/

Sources for more information Taxonomy Warehouse http://www.taxonomywarehouse.com Live version of Asset Bank from British Geological Survey:

http://geoscenic.bgs.ac.uk/asset-bank/action/viewHome Live demo Canto Cumulus http://www.canto.com/en/docs/flash/web_client_tour/frames.html Media Beacon taxonomies in DAM video http://videos.mediabeacon.com/Taxonomies-

Episode1.mov Blog post on integrating folksonomy tagging with controlled vocabularies

http://www.aiimcommunities.org/e20/blog/organizing-chaos-tag-it by Bert Sandie “Designing for Faceted Search” by Stephanie Lemieux

http://www.earley.com/knowledge/articles/designing-faceted-search Faceted Browse DAM Product from Endeca: http://www.endeca.com/solutions-media-

publishing-digital-asset-navigation.htm Building a keyword library for description of visual assets: Thesaurus basics

http://www.palgrave-journals.com/dam/journal/v3/n3/full/3650074a.html by Donna Slawsky Syllabus for DAM course at Columbia University

https://courseworks.columbia.edu/public/IDRMK4340_001_2010_1 National Information Standards Organization. “Guidelines for the Construction, Format,

and Management of Monolingual Controlled Vocabulary.” ANSI/NISO Z39.19-2005. NISO Press. July 25, 2005. http://www.niso.org/kst/reports/standards?step=2&gid=None&project_key%3Austring%3Aiso-8859-1=7cc9b583cb5a62e8c15d3099e0bb46bbae9cf38a

Contact Info

donnaslawsky@yahoo.com

Connect on LinkedIn Question for you:

Looking for DAM managers willing to be interviewed by a student and offer a tour of your DAM system for a midterm paper in the Fall.

© 2010 Donna Slawsky Taxonomies and DAM Digital Asset Managers Meetup June 29, 2010

Documents

SPSTCDC - Managed Metadata and Taxonomies in SharePoint 2010 - Playing Tag

General Presentation Taxonomies

Slawsky defensetake2

Testing Taxonomies

Slawsky hcc introtomusic1

O verlapping taxonomies

Developing taxonomies

Data Grid Taxonomies

Principles of Taxonomies

Web Taxonomies - FAA

Tools for Taxonomies

What Are Taxonomies?

E-Commerce Taxonomies

Managing Mature Taxonomies: Resolving Orphan Terms · 2019. 7. 31. · Taxonomies, Thesauri, and Orphan Terms Taxonomies and Thesauri Compared 6 Taxonomies All terms belong to a limited

Conklin Folk Taxonomies

Taxonomies 2010 short ppt

Mapping Between Taxonomies

User-Driven Taxonomies

Evaluating Taxonomies

Taxonomies and Folksonomies