| One of the easiest ways to understand | | | | information.When it comes time to |
| how quickly an organization strategy can | | | | retrieve the information that has been |
| become convoluted, confusing, and | | | | organized, the person must retrace the |
| difficult is to look at the standard | | | | thought processes of the first two |
| method used for organizing information | | | | steps, then conduct a search that leads |
| on a personal computer. The idea | | | | back to where the information resides. |
| started out right enough, using a system | | | | The key to a good organization system is |
| of files and directories to store | | | | to establish a logical process of |
| various kinds of information and | | | | categorization, location, and retrieval |
| programs using meaningful names to help | | | | to result in maximum efficiency. In |
| the users recognize and identify the | | | | most systems, it is the growing |
| information contained in a given | | | | inefficiency of searching during |
| location. Unfortunately, there soon | | | | retrieval processes that comprise the |
| developed such a web of files in | | | | weakest link in good organizational |
| different locations, Microsoft had to | | | | management. In fact, it is the |
| develop a tool called Explorer to help | | | | searching/retrieval process that takes |
| people search for where things went. | | | | up the most time resources in managing |
| With over a quarter of a million files | | | | any kind of information. To improve the |
| located on a computer, the processing | | | | effectiveness of an organization system, |
| speed has to be quick just to complete a | | | | if it were possible to eliminate the |
| spyware or virus scan of the system.When | | | | traditional search processes for |
| a person organizes information, there | | | | retrieving information, the new method |
| are several basic questions that must be | | | | would save a great deal of time and |
| answered by the system of organization. | | | | effort. In other words, if a person no |
| These questions are:1. What am I | | | | longer needed to be concerned with where |
| organizing? | | | | information resides once it has been |
| 2. Where am I going to put it? | | | | cataloged, they could retrieve the |
| 3. How am I going to find it again when | | | | information by simply knowing what they |
| I need it?Answering these basic needs is | | | | want to retrieve.With computers, it is |
| much more complicated than it would | | | | now possible to organize information by |
| appear on first glance, as evidenced by | | | | creating an automated retrieval system |
| the number of methods available for | | | | as part of the initial organization |
| organization of information that do not | | | | process. This system allows the user to |
| provide effective solutions. Whether a | | | | select the category of information they |
| person is dealing with business | | | | want to deal with, choose the item |
| information, personal data, computer | | | | within the category, and the computer |
| programs, documents, or groceries, the | | | | manages the process of locating the item |
| means for developing an efficient system | | | | within the system, and presenting it for |
| of organization requires a closer look | | | | interaction automatically. This means |
| at where any system gets out of | | | | that people can have instant selection |
| hand.When the organization process | | | | access to files, documents, programs, |
| begins, the person must be able to | | | | web locations, personal data, time based |
| define and remember what objects are | | | | information, and other data simply by |
| being organized. Defining categories of | | | | recalling what it is they want, without |
| objects is a process that is easy | | | | regard for where it is.The process |
| enough, because it is driven by a | | | | flattens the convolutions of multi |
| personal desire. We look at documents | | | | tiered organization systems like |
| like tax information, letters, | | | | computer directories and files to a |
| timesheets, research data, personal | | | | level that is organized by category and |
| records, and other categorical | | | | item, no matter how deep the layers of |
| information in large quantities that | | | | physical sub directory structures have |
| need to be managed on a regular basis. | | | | become. In many cases, concern for |
| Establishing these categories of | | | | defining items within categories can be |
| organization is always the first thing | | | | circumvented as well, allowing users to |
| to consider.As the process continues, | | | | get immediate access to individual items |
| the next step is usually to find a | | | | by calling the item directly with |
| location for the information, then to | | | | natural language control, and allowing |
| arrange the categorized information into | | | | the computer to retrieve the information |
| some form of logical sub process that | | | | without any further user interaction. |
| allows us to search through the | | | | This one or two step system of |
| information quickly to retrieve it. | | | | organization is one of the most powerful |
| Often, this takes the form of | | | | tools to be incorporated into software |
| alphabetical, time/date, or some kind of | | | | design since the advent of |
| numerically arranged system of sorting | | | | computers.Director of Software Concepts |
| each individual piece of information. | | | | BHO Technologists - LittleTek Center |
| In the case of computer based systems, | | | | Teaching computers to work with people. |
| there is usually a categorical | | | | We make software more fun for everyone. |
| directory, sub directories within the | | | | Stop by for a visit to our web site, |
| category, and finally the individual | | | | and see what a difference ITL technology |
| files which contain the desired | | | | makes! |