| Richard Saul Wurman created an information empire | | | | Were some of those a little tough? That's because |
| by answering questions he wanted answered, and by | | | | the subject alone isn't enough information to |
| organizing information the way people use it. His | | | | determine how your data should be organized. You |
| Access travel guides, for example, organize | | | | also have to know who your readers are, and how |
| information by location, rather than by category. So | | | | they will use the information. For example, your |
| instead of traditional travel guides, which may have | | | | restaurant guide might be organized by category |
| lists of restaurants, museums, stores, parks, etc., | | | | (type of food, e.g., Continental, French, Italian), |
| Wurman's guides allow you to find your location in a | | | | location (e.g., city or neighborhood), or hierarchy (e.g., |
| city, and see what is around you. | | | | "star" ratings, cost, etc.). The membership directory |
| Wurman says that information can be organized in | | | | might be strictly an alphabetical list of members, or it |
| five different ways, and each way is appropriate for | | | | might organize them by location, by occupation or |
| different types of data, or different uses of data. He | | | | other category, or by other criteria. |
| uses the acronym LATCH to describe the five ways: | | | | You will also see that different methods of organizing |
| - Location - the best method for atlases and travel | | | | information may be used at each level. For example, |
| guides; | | | | cookbooks are typically arranged by category: |
| - Alphabetical - for dictionaries, phone directories, etc.; | | | | appetizers, meats, vegetables, cakes, etc. But a |
| - Time - when sequence is important: instructions, | | | | recipe in the cookbook is arranged by time. Each |
| jokes, history; | | | | recipe lists ingredients (usually in the order they will |
| - Category - for encyclopedias, resource guides, etc.; | | | | be used), then tells you what to do in sequence. |
| and | | | | When organizing your information, always keep in |
| - Hierarchy - to organize information from best to | | | | mind how it will be used. Make it easy for the user to |
| worst, biggest to smallest, most expensive to least | | | | find what they need and to get the results they |
| expensive, etc. | | | | want. Put yourself in your customers' shoes, and ask |
| Think about how LATCH applies to your information. | | | | how you would like to see the information organized. |
| What category would you use if you were going to | | | | Are there other uses for the information you have |
| publish a: | | | | assembled? Who will want this information and how |
| - Cookbook | | | | will they use it? |
| - Directory of Home-based Businesses | | | | As you answer these questions, you may discover |
| - How-To Book on Building a Deck | | | | needs for new products which can be met by |
| - Restaurant Guide | | | | repackaging your information in another form. |
| - Membership Directory | | | | |