Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, Second Edition

Fast and Slow Layers

In his book The Clock of the Long Now, Stewart Brand introduced the notion that society is a construct of several layers, each with a unique and suitable rate of change (Figure 15-2). The slow layers provide stability; the fast layers drive innovation. The independence of speed between layers is a natural and healthy result of societal evolution. Imagine the alternative. How about commerce moving at the pace of federal bureaucracy? Remember the Soviet Union? Enough said.

Figure 15-2. Societal layers

This recognition of independently dynamic layers holds great promise within the narrower domain of information architecture. By isolating enduring IA from adaptive IA, we can invest sensibly in long-term infrastructure while creating flexibility where it’s needed. Figure 15-3 is an early attempt to identify these layers.

Figure 15-3. Information architecture layers

The lowest and slowest layers are facets and their hierarchies. These constitute the foundation of the enterprise IA infrastructure.

Next, the embedded navigation system composed of browsable taxonomies, indexes, and the search system defines at a fundamental level how users are able to search and browse. These two bottom layers should be stable. They become intertwined with content, technology, and process, ...