grouping-examples

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Grouping

Grouping is a fundamental mechanism for understanding the relationship between objects. Where an object resides in a network of relationships can clarify its purpose. Grouping relationships are fundamental to how we understand object interactions.

The Problem

It is useful to understand the relationship between objects on a website. A blogger may want to describe several different objects on a web page and group them explicitly. It is important that the structure of the page not affect this grouping as network relationships are often not hierarchical (HTML is always hierarchical).

Where an object resides in a network of relationships can clarify its purpose. For example, an audio album can have a number of audio tracks. It is desirable that the tracks and the album can be associated with one another without needing to be explicitly grouped. The same goes for chapters in a DVD movie, sections of a podcast, and a set of geographic points.

Grouping relationships are fundamental to how we understand object interactions.

Contributors

Real-World Examples

Grouping in Music Podcasting

These sites usually list one big file containg multiples songs, speech, audio advertising and prerecorded audio (such as voicemail or promos). Effort is taken to list each section of the recording as a group (aka: playlist).

Grouping in Music Services

Analysis

Existing Practices

Listed below is an overview of existing patterns and practices found in the wild for grouping metadata.

Summary of common patterns discovered

Other attempts to solve The Problem

See Also