Faceted classification

Faceted classification organizes subjects by combining independent attributes, or facets, into compound descriptions. It allows items to be classified across multiple dimensions rather than assigned to one fixed hierarchy.

Facet analysis: The process of identifying and organizing the fundamental aspects of a subject for classification. It identifies which independent aspects a faceted scheme should represent.
S. R. Ranganathan: An Indian librarian and mathematician who developed Colon Classification and influential theories of library organization. His work established the principles and terminology behind modern faceted classification.
Library catalog: An organized record of a library’s holdings, searchable by attributes such as author, title, and subject. Faceted systems help structure subject access beyond a single shelf hierarchy.
Hierarchical classification: A system that organizes concepts into levels of broader and narrower categories. Its single nested structure differs from combining several independent facets.
Facet (information architecture): A distinct attribute used to describe, filter, or classify an item. Each facet supplies one dimension in a compound classification.
Colon Classification: S. R. Ranganathan’s library classification scheme, which uses facets and colon notation to build compound classes. This early system made facet-based synthesis concrete in library practice.
E-commerce product filtering: The use of product attributes such as size, brand, and price to narrow online shopping results. Product filters are a familiar practical use of independent facets.
Enumerative classification: A classification method that lists predefined classes and their subdivisions in a schedule. Faceted systems synthesize combinations instead of listing every compound class in advance.
Facet indicator: A symbol or notation that identifies the role of a facet in a classification scheme. Indicators mark where one facet ends and another begins in a class notation.
Five Laws of Library Science: Five principles formulated by S. R. Ranganathan concerning the purpose and organization of libraries. They express the user-centered library philosophy that informed Ranganathan’s classification work.

Linked from 9 pages