Abstract:
The use of a taxonomy in creating structured content allows emergent patterns in content to drive navigation. By using a taxonomy to create novel tags for content it is possible to produce strong navigational effects and use this to encourage investment in metadata in your content. Using metadata to produce front end effects, allows richer content that is easier to exploit in novel ways and gives a positive feedback process to encourage metadata production.
On the other hand this approach risks polluting your taxonomy with meaningless tags that are so specific they have no meaning unless otherwise explained.
At Leeds this approach is paying dividends in allowing flexible navigation and content reuse.
Resources
A video interview with Matthew Hoskins, the workshop facilitator, is available on the IWMW 2010 blog and embedded below.