[uf-discuss] [Zen of Microformats] Two Fundamental Principles of Information Design

[Costello, Roger L.]

Hi Folks,

Through intense study of Microformats I have come to enlightenment
regarding information design: 

Two Fundamental Principles of Information Design

1. Design information to be resolutely specific and local.

2. Design information to be globally and collectively useful.

Example: consider a web designer that embeds a family name in an HTML
<li> element, e.g.,

<li>Costello</li>

A second web designer embeds a family name in an HTML <div> element,
e.g.,

<div>Novak</div>

A third web designer embeds a family name in an XML <informant>
element, e.g.,

<informant>Smith</informant>

A fourth web designer embeds a family name in an XML <pilot> element,
e.g.,

<pilot>Johnson</pilot>

A fifth web designer embeds a family name in an RSS <managingEditor>
element, e.g.,

<managingEditor>Parker</managingEditor>

Each of these web designers are expressing the family name information
in a way that is resolutely specific and local, i.e., in a way that is
appropriate for his/her needs.

However, the information is not globally and collectively useful:
without a-priori knowledge a web tool cannot ascertain that the
information within the elements represents a person's family name.  

That's where Microformats come into the picture.  Add the hCard
"family-name" subproperty to each local expression:

<li class="family-name">Costello</li>

<div class="family-name">Novak<div>

<informant class="family-name">Smith</informant>

<pilot class="family-name">Johnson</pilot>

<managingEditor class="family-name">Parker</managingEditor>

Now the information is resolutely specific and local; simultaneously,
it is globally and collectively useful.

Comments?

/Roger