[Sigia-l] Findability

[Cunliffe D J (Comp)]

Hi,

Ok, maybe it's just too early in the morning, or maybe I just need another
cup of coffee, but I am fast loosing my grip on what the practical
implications of 'findability' and whatever the counter proposal is
('specificity' perhaps?) are.

Without intending to misrepresent anyone's point of view and in the hope of
clarifying my own understanding (even if it clarifies no-one else's), am I
along roughly the right lines in thinking the following?

If (and that's a big if) I am understanding 'specificity' correctly the user
will be able to easily find exactly the thing they are looking for (and
nothing else) because it is possible to unambiguously and exactly specify
what it is and because it has been exactly and unambiguously identified as
what it is.

On the other hand 'findability' seeks to provide general categories of
things grouping similar things (where similarity is relative to the
categories used and perspectives taken) thus the user will find the thing
they are looking for plus any similar things.

One concern I have with (my understanding of) 'specificity' is the extent to
which it supports serendipitous discovery and the ability to support user
tasks of the 'what else have you got that is like this?' type.

Again not wanting to put words into Derek R's mouth (I don't think he needs
any help there :-) I think his concern over the fact that any classification
scheme has an inherent 'perspective' is a valid one. I guess at least part
of what IA's do is to try to find the classification scheme that is already
in the users mind, rather than impose some external classification scheme.  

My main problems with (my understanding of) 'specificity' is how we can
unambiguously and exactly specify anything and assuming we could would we
actually ever be able to use it? 

Apologies again if I have misrepresented anyone's views, please feel free to
clarify (exactly and unambiguously if possible :-) if I have done so.

Be seeing you,

Daniel (yes, the other one)