Social Information Architecture

Hola :)

Social Information Architecture IA Retreat Santa Cruz, Chile Nov 11, 2006

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Different actions lead to different patterns
Patterns are consistent (but subtle)
This is information architecture
But! We haven’t described these patterns
Need to understand them if we are to create structure from them

Information Architecture is the
Structural design of shared information environments

Information Architecture is the
Structural design of shared information environments
Shared design of semi-structured information environments

Social information architecture
User actions create some or all of the structure of an information environment
Using the wisdom of crowds to solve the problems of IA
Find, use and interact in information environments

Three ingredients for social IA
Capture User Actions
Aggregate and Display
Feedback

User Actions

User Actions
Things people do online that we can track
Building blocks
Popularity
Community
Reputation
Ignore higher goals & motivations

Del.icio.us

Amazon

YouTube

Aggregation & Display
Bringing together user actions in a relevant way
Displaying them
Rules

Kinds of Aggregation (not an exhaustive list)
Listing
Ranking
Clustering
Collaborative filtering
Other algorithms

Listing (and prototagging)

Ranking
Count an action
Order them

Collaborative Filtering

Other Algorithms

Feedback

A feedback loop is a system where outputs are fed back into the system as inputs, increasing or decreasing effects.
- Wikipedia

Positive Feedback
First, close your eyes
Listen for clapping
If you hear a clap, you must also clap
Try to clap within 0.5 seconds
Don’t stop until I say stop

Negative Feedback
First, close your eyes
Listen for clapping
If you hear a clap, you must also clap
Try to clap within 0.5 seconds
Once you’ve clapped, you can’t clap again for two seconds

Positive feedback
If someone immediately around you has their hand up, raise your hand
For now, ignore empty chairs

Negative feedback
If the person immediately in front of you or to your left has their hand, raise your hand
If they put their hand down, put your hand down

Feedback fuels system

Positive feedback in Digg

Places to Intervene (also not an exhaustive list)
Introduce delays
Modify the strength of feedback loops
Who has access to what information?
Adjust incentives and punishments
Change the system

Challenges
Spam
Gaming
Balance
Relevance
Unintended consequences

Design Principles
Allow for different levels of engagement
Monitor and tweak feedback loops
Trade-offs: transparency v. gaming
Digg started simple, became more complicated to deal with gaming (but also became less satisfying to use)
Participate in larger ecosystem
YouTube is viral
Design new actions, aggregators, display

Thanks!
Email
[email_address]
Presentation
http://atomiq.org/etc/retreat_social_ia.pdf

Social Information Architecture

by gsmith

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Social Information Architecture Presentation Transcript

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