The document discusses folksonomy as an information architecture for exploratory search. It outlines four common information structures - hierarchical classification, faceted categorization, dynamic clusters, and folksonomy. Social tagging systems like Delicious, Flickr, and CiteULike are based on a folksonomy structure, which is flat, inclusive, and allows users to assign their own tags. The document argues that information seeking in social tagging systems is largely exploratory, involving activities like browsing, searching, being aware of new information, and monitoring topics of interest.

1. Understanding folksonomy as an information architecture for exploratory search Tingting Jiang & Dr. Sherry Koshman School of Information Sciences University of Pittsburgh

6. IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 05 Tagging hierarchical classification comprehensive fixed nonoverlapping hierarchical enumerative universal local high investment professional / formal Hierarchical classification

7. IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 06 Tagging facted categorization a set of small hierarchies conceptual dimensions less investment professionals navigational searching recognition / recall mental work Faceted categorization flexibility query fixed colletions

8. IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 07 Tagging dynamic clusters dynamic post-retrieval unique clustering algorithms automation less complex less costly Vivisimo customization Dynamic clusters ambiguity instability

9. IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 08 Tagging folksonomy flat inclusive anyone any language liberal distributed democratic inexpensive responsive basic level problem Folksonomy vocabulary problem

10. IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 09 Comparison of structures Hierarchical classification Faceted categorization Clustering Social tagging Type of structure Rigid hierarchies Hierarchical faceted categories Topical clusters Flat and inclusive folksonomy Creators experts professionals automatically everybody Users experienced trained trained naive Process Top down Top down Top down Bottom up Vocabulary Controlled vocabulary Controlled vocabulary Content-based Any language Domains Professional, formal, small, stable Structured, fixed, small, homogenous Unstructured, miscellaneous, medium Miscellaneous, distributed, uncontrolled Examples CitiViz, WebTOC Flamenco Grokker, Clusty del.icio.us, Flickr

12. RESOURCES social structure IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 11 Social tagging: three elements USERS TAGS information structure Information space

17. TAG USER RESOURCE being aware monitoring searching browsing IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 16 Exploration framework

18. Thank you very much! Contact us: tij4@pitt.edu School of Information Sciences University of Pittsburgh [email_address]