Tagging – From Personal to Social: Some Observations & Design Principles Rashmi Sinha Uzanto

Structure of Talk My Perspective Tagging on a Personal Level Compared to categorization Social Systems formed by Tagging Tagging & Wisdom of Crowds Some weaknesses 9 Design Principles

My Perspective

Tagging on a Personal Level

Compared to categorization

Social Systems formed by Tagging

Tagging & Wisdom of Crowds

Some weaknesses

9 Design Principles

Cognition in the wild Cognitive Anthropology: Understanding culture by understanding cognition Two main methods Pile Sorting Freelisting

Cognitive Anthropology: Understanding culture by understanding cognition

Two main methods

Pile Sorting

Freelisting

Free-listing Goals Explore boundaries & scope of domain Capture cultural consensus Gain familiarity with user vocabulary Strengths Simplicity Flexibility Conducted as part of interview, or as written exercise “ Name all the x's you know.”

Goals

Explore boundaries & scope of domain

Capture cultural consensus

Gain familiarity with user vocabulary

Strengths

Simplicity

Flexibility

Conducted as part of interview, or as written exercise

“ Name all the x's you know.”

Digital Categorization Multiple concepts activated Choose ONE of the activated concepts. Categorize it! Object worth remembering (article, image…) Analysis-Paralysis! Analysis Paralysis Balancing your scheme Over time – category boundaries change, labels obsolete

Analysis Paralysis

Balancing your scheme

Over time – category boundaries change, labels obsolete

Cannot place in more than one place Disappears from view Mistakes are costly

Cannot place in more than one place

Disappears from view

Mistakes are costly

Tagging is simpler Multiple concepts are activated Tag it! Note all concepts Object worth remembering (article, image…) Goal is to categorize Maps to cognitive process Reduced load Fun, Self-feedback, social feedback Less balancing of scheme

Goal is to categorize

Maps to cognitive process

Reduced load

Fun, Self-feedback, social feedback

Less balancing of scheme

Tagging still leads to anxiety Differs from person to person And by domain Solution not simpler input process (though that could help) Confidence in finding

Differs from person to person

And by domain

Solution not simpler input process (though that could help)

Confidence in finding

Some hypothesis Tagging takes lesser time than categorizing Users generate tags/categorize for new emails / bookmarks Measure : Time to categorize compared to time for 1 OR 2 OR 3 tags Categories are more memorable than a tag Give users 30 secs. per item to generate tag OR categorize Measure : Recall of tag / category after a week Comparing different types of tags Personal tags are more memorable than Semantic ones Measure : Tag recall after a week Semantic tags are generated first Measure : Order of Semantic and Personal tag generation

Tagging takes lesser time than categorizing

Users generate tags/categorize for new emails / bookmarks

Measure : Time to categorize compared to time for 1 OR 2 OR 3 tags

Categories are more memorable than a tag

Give users 30 secs. per item to generate tag OR categorize

Measure : Recall of tag / category after a week

Comparing different types of tags

Personal tags are more memorable than Semantic ones

Measure : Tag recall after a week

Semantic tags are generated first

Measure : Order of Semantic and Personal tag generation

Hypothesis (cont) Hierarchy & non-exclusivity Compare time taken Recall Difficulty (D) Categorization (C) Flat Categorization Exclusive (B) Hierarchical Tagging (A) Tagging Non-Exclusive Hierarchical Flat

Hierarchy & non-exclusivity

Compare time taken

Recall

Difficulty

The Personal to the Social

Browsing alone

Along together Alone together (Ducheneaut et al. CHI 2006) Passive presence of others Playing for the audience but not necessarily interacting Social facilitation (Zajonc, 1960) Improvement in performance in presence of others Presence does not need to be active Observed even in cockroaches!

Alone together (Ducheneaut et al. CHI 2006)

Passive presence of others

Playing for the audience but not necessarily interacting

Social facilitation (Zajonc, 1960)

Improvement in performance in presence of others

Presence does not need to be active

Observed even in cockroaches!

Tagging as second generation social network Actually useful! Lots of weak ties (Granovetter: The strength of weak ties ) Social networks emphasize strong ties (lists of contacts, friendship ratings) Objects (tags) mediate social relationships Objects are reasons people affiliate with each other Provide context for relationship. Means for new relationships. Theory: Object centered sociality (sociologist Karin Knorr Cetina) Application: Interest based groups Collaborative Tagging & Expertise in the Enterprise (John & Seligman) Fringe Contacts: People Tagging for the Enterprise (Ferrell & Lau)

Actually useful!

Lots of weak ties (Granovetter: The strength of weak ties )

Social networks emphasize strong ties (lists of contacts, friendship ratings)

Objects (tags) mediate social relationships

Objects are reasons people affiliate with each other

Provide context for relationship. Means for new relationships.

Theory: Object centered sociality (sociologist Karin Knorr Cetina)

Application: Interest based groups

Collaborative Tagging & Expertise in the Enterprise (John & Seligman)

Fringe Contacts: People Tagging for the Enterprise (Ferrell & Lau)

Tagging and Wisdom of Crowds Cognitive Diversity Independence Decentralization Easy Aggregation

Cognitive Diversity

Independence

Decentralization

Easy Aggregation

1. Cognitive Diversity Need many perspectives for good answers Groups become homogenous Members bring less and less new information in Varying levels of insight & knowledge provide good mix Better than everyone having a lot of knowledge! Diversity reduces groupthink Groupthink works by shielding members from outside opinions Rationalize away counterarguments Diversity reduces conformity Chance that you will change opinion to match group

Need many perspectives for good answers

Groups become homogenous

Members bring less and less new information in

Varying levels of insight & knowledge provide good mix

Better than everyone having a lot of knowledge!

Diversity reduces groupthink

Groupthink works by shielding members from outside opinions

Rationalize away counterarguments

Diversity reduces conformity

Chance that you will change opinion to match group

2. Independence Keeps people’s mistakes from getting correlated (uncorrelated mistakes averaged out) Encourages people to bring in new viewpoints (diversity) Concept of Social Proof Milgram experiment People assume that groups know what they are doing Assuming crowd is wise, leads to herd like behavior Can sometimes lead to good decisions

Keeps people’s mistakes from getting correlated (uncorrelated mistakes averaged out)

Encourages people to bring in new viewpoints (diversity)

Concept of Social Proof

Milgram experiment

People assume that groups know what they are doing

Assuming crowd is wise, leads to herd like behavior

Can sometimes lead to good decisions

2. Independence (cont.) Information Cascades Sequence of uninformed choices, building upon each other Example: Thai & Indian restaurant Information is imperfect – sometimes incorrect, sometimes correct Decisions made in sequence Everyone relies on own information And what everyone else is doing Wrong information propagates down in a chain Ideal when people make decision relying on private information Compare Del.icio.us & digg Information Cascades can be good Example: Iowa farmers decision about hybrid corn

Information Cascades

Sequence of uninformed choices, building upon each other

Example: Thai & Indian restaurant

Information is imperfect – sometimes incorrect, sometimes correct

Decisions made in sequence

Everyone relies on own information

And what everyone else is doing

Wrong information propagates down in a chain

Ideal when people make decision relying on private information

Compare Del.icio.us & digg

Information Cascades can be good

Example: Iowa farmers decision about hybrid corn

Imitation & Suggestion Intelligent & mindless imitation Human beings are imitation machines Imitation is a good thing Bad when you don’t reply on private information And don’t make independent judgment Example: Japanese macaques learning to separate wheat from stones Build some method to let people evaluate tag suggestions Imitation & Suggestion in Tagging Systems Lazy Sheep bookmarklet Google Suggest approach Towards the Semantic Web: Collaborative Tag Suggestions (Xu et al.) Implicit Tagging using Donated Bookmarks (Markines, et al.)

Intelligent & mindless imitation

Human beings are imitation machines

Imitation is a good thing

Bad when you don’t reply on private information

And don’t make independent judgment

Example: Japanese macaques learning to separate wheat from stones

Build some method to let people evaluate tag suggestions

Imitation & Suggestion in Tagging Systems

Lazy Sheep bookmarklet

Google Suggest approach

Towards the Semantic Web: Collaborative Tag Suggestions (Xu et al.)

Implicit Tagging using Donated Bookmarks (Markines, et al.)

3. Decentralization Encourages independence Takes advantage of tacit knowledge People have specialized knowledge that might not be communicable to right person in centralized structure Problems: Valuable information uncovered in one part of the system does not get communicated to another part Need some type of loose coordination “ A crowd of decentralized people working to solve a problem on their own without any central effort to guide them, come up with better solutions, rather than a top-down driven solution.” Suroweicki

Encourages independence

Takes advantage of tacit knowledge

People have specialized knowledge that might not be communicable to right person in centralized structure

Problems: Valuable information uncovered in one part of the system does not get communicated to another part

Need some type of loose coordination

4. Easy Aggregation A decentralized system can pick right solution With easy way for information to be aggregated across system Example: Francis Galton A crowd of people made independent decisions He added the votes

A decentralized system can pick right solution

With easy way for information to be aggregated across system

Example: Francis Galton

A crowd of people made independent decisions

He added the votes

Some Weaknesses of tag-based Social Systems

1. Tag Specificity, Expertise & Perspective Shirky example: Dewey Decimals categorization of world religions What about Flickr? Hinduism: 6512 photos Christianity: 5207 photos

Shirky example: Dewey Decimals categorization of world religions

What about Flickr?

Hinduism: 6512 photos

Christianity: 5207 photos

Tagging systems are better, but… Tagging systems represent people who participate in them Their viewpoints & perspective Types of biases In-groups might use more specific tags than Out-groups Experts might use more specific tags than novices

Tagging systems represent people who participate in them

Their viewpoints & perspective

Types of biases

In-groups might use more specific tags than Out-groups

Experts might use more specific tags than novices

2. No easy way to show minority viewpoint Consensus viewpoint bubbles up How to give alternative viewpoints a voice? Example: Catholic Church recognizes Devil’s advocate

Consensus viewpoint bubbles up

How to give alternative viewpoints a voice?

Example: Catholic Church recognizes Devil’s advocate

3. Why Amazon tags did not work No clear articulation of benefits Mixed with other, more common participation methods Busy interface No organic growth (seeding with select few)

No clear articulation of benefits

Mixed with other, more common participation methods

Busy interface

No organic growth (seeding with select few)

Too many options?

Too many options?

4. Adoption by Average User Tag navigation does not suit user task? Users do not understand its for navigation?

Tag navigation does not suit user task?

Users do not understand its for navigation?

Design Principles for Tagging Systems

#1: Make System Personally Useful For end-user system should have strong personal use Memorable Personal Snippets (e.g., Del.icio.us & Flickr) Self-expression (e.g., Newsvine) My expertise or interests (RawSugar) Don’t count on altruism System should thrive on people’s selfishness Incent the behavior you want Clearly communicate benefits to users Create a positive reinforcement cycle

For end-user system should have strong personal use

Memorable Personal Snippets (e.g., Del.icio.us & Flickr)

Self-expression (e.g., Newsvine)

My expertise or interests (RawSugar)

Don’t count on altruism

System should thrive on people’s selfishness

Incent the behavior you want

Clearly communicate benefits to users

Create a positive reinforcement cycle

del.icio.us Useful before Saving First Link

#2:Identify Symbiotic Relationship Between Personal & Social Individual participation in system should naturally aggregate into social stream What personal snippets do people like to share? Personal snippets > Social stream Example Pictures > Organized by Events Music > Organized by Playlists

Individual participation in system should naturally aggregate into social stream

What personal snippets do people like to share?

Personal snippets > Social stream

Example

Pictures > Organized by Events

Music > Organized by Playlists

#3: Make Porous Boundary Between Public & Private Earlier systems Personal (Personal Desktop Software, e.g., Picasa, EndNote) OR Social websites (Shutterfly) Rethink public & private People will share for the right returns Set defaults to public, allow easy change to private Provide clear benefit of sharing Give user control Over individual pieces & sets Delete items from history Reset /remove profile Privacy settings on Flickr

Earlier systems

Personal (Personal Desktop Software, e.g., Picasa, EndNote)

OR Social websites (Shutterfly)

Rethink public & private

People will share for the right returns

Set defaults to public, allow easy change to private

Provide clear benefit of sharing

Give user control

Over individual pieces & sets

Delete items from history

Reset /remove profile

#4: Provide Outlet for Self-expression Creative self-expression Artistic expression (Flickr, YouTube) Humor (YouTube) Individual piece should be small Can create sets & lists Do Mashups Simple, guessable URLs for everything Leave room for games & social play Appreciation Stalking (some!) Gossip Writers on Newsvine

Creative self-expression

Artistic expression (Flickr, YouTube)

Humor (YouTube)

Individual piece should be small

Can create sets & lists

Do Mashups

Simple, guessable URLs for everything

Leave room for games & social play

Appreciation

Stalking (some!)

Gossip

#4a. Allow for Different Types of Participation Social sites don’t require 100% active participation Implicit creation (creating by consuming) Remixing—adding value to others’ content Source: Bradley Horowitz’s weblog, Elatable, Feb. 17, 2006, “Creators, Synthesizers, and Consumers”

Social sites don’t require 100% active participation

Implicit creation (creating by consuming)

Remixing—adding value to others’ content

#4b. How to Encourage Participation Insights from Social Psychology research Highlight unique contribution Allow for smaller local groups Highlight benefit to self from participation Highlight benefit to group Source: Using social psychology to motivate contributions to online communities, Ling et al. 2005

Insights from Social Psychology research

Highlight unique contribution

Allow for smaller local groups

Highlight benefit to self from participation

Highlight benefit to group

#5. Provide Scent of Others in the System What paths are well worn, what are not User profiles / photos Real-time updating Feels like a conversation sense that others are out there What people are digging right now!

What paths are well worn, what are not

User profiles / photos

Real-time updating

Feels like a conversation

sense that others are out there

#6. And yet, Moments of Independence Choreography: when alone, when part of group Prevent mobs, optimize “wisdom of crowds” Don’t make it too easy to mimic others Incentives for originality & uniqueness

Choreography: when alone, when part of group

Prevent mobs, optimize “wisdom of crowds”

Don’t make it too easy to mimic others

Incentives for originality & uniqueness

#7. Enable Serendipity Don’t make navigation all about popularity Access to some popular stuff (keep this fast moving) Make the “long tail” accessible Use popularity as a jump off point to other ways of exploring Provide personalization Recommendations using collaborative filtering Similar tags, content, others Ad-hoc groups?

Don’t make navigation all about popularity

Access to some popular stuff (keep this fast moving)

Make the “long tail” accessible

Use popularity as a jump off point to other ways of exploring

Provide personalization

Recommendations using collaborative filtering

Similar tags, content, others

Ad-hoc groups?

#8. Allow for alternative viewpoints & perspectives Tags bias perspective in specific manner People of a group know more Likely to use more specific tags Hence less exposure (no hierarchy) Similar problem for experts

Tags bias perspective in specific manner

People of a group know more

Likely to use more specific tags

Hence less exposure (no hierarchy)

Similar problem for experts

#9. Keep input simple. Solve problems with good findability Tagging shows success of simplicity Don't’ increase cognitive cost of tagging Tagging systems can support different types of findability Some metaphors

Tagging shows success of simplicity

Don't’ increase cognitive cost of tagging

Tagging systems can support different types of findability

Some metaphors

#9a. User Experience for Faceted Browse Interfaces User is in control Every movement (forward, making a turn) is a conscious choice System should provide information at every step If user makes mistakes, she can go back or start again Like driving a car…

User is in control

Every movement (forward, making a turn) is a conscious choice

System should provide information at every step

If user makes mistakes, she can go back or start again

#9b. User Experience with Recommender Systems User has less control over specifics of interaction System does not provide information about specifics of action More of a “black box” model (some input from user, output from systems) Like riding a roller coaster…

User has less control over specifics of interaction

System does not provide information about specifics of action

More of a “black box” model (some input from user, output from systems)

User Experience with Browsing Tagging Systems Pivot Browsing Move at a slower pace Get the lay of the land, directly experience surroundings Change paths when you want Choose paths based on what looks promising, how well worn, what signs say Like a hike in the woods

Pivot Browsing

Move at a slower pace

Get the lay of the land, directly experience surroundings

Change paths when you want

Choose paths based on what looks promising, how well worn, what signs say

You can do all three with tags Faceted Systems from Tags Inducing Ontology from Flickr, Schmitz Collaborative Filtering from Tags Automatic Tag Clustering, Begelman, Keller & Smajda Pivot Browsing on Tagging Systems Tag-Based Navigation for Peer-to-Peer Wikipedia, Fokker et al.

Faceted Systems from Tags

Inducing Ontology from Flickr, Schmitz

Collaborative Filtering from Tags

Automatic Tag Clustering, Begelman, Keller & Smajda

Pivot Browsing on Tagging Systems

Tag-Based Navigation for Peer-to-Peer Wikipedia, Fokker et al.

Parting thoughts Tagging is in the eyes of the tagger Can implicit tagging be tagging? Tagging by others is more useful than tagging by self Is tagging about harnessing consensus or personal perspective? Will Categorization will be back? Better interface Non-exclusive

Tagging is in the eyes of the tagger

Can implicit tagging be tagging?

Tagging by others is more useful than tagging by self

Is tagging about harnessing consensus or personal perspective?

Will Categorization will be back?

Better interface

Non-exclusive

Questions? [email_address] URLs www.uzanto.com www.rashmisinha.com

Questions?

[email_address]

URLs

www.uzanto.com

www.rashmisinha.com

“In essence tag systems mirror the pagerank structure of Google's system, but make the internal structures browsable and viewable directly.” Lee Iverson

“In essence tag systems mirror the pagerank structure of Google's system, but make the internal structures browsable and viewable directly.”

Lee Iverson