"General Information" - The Temptation and the Trap
- Omer Ben Yehuda
- Mar 1, 2005
- 2 min read
Anyone who builds a content website or document management system eventually reaches the stage of creating a content tree.
This is the stage where we try to arrange all the content on the site in a hierarchical tree with parent-child relationships so that each menu leads to topics with a common denominator and/or to sub-menus leading to similar content.
This is a very non-trivial and often frustrating part. The problems are numerous: content that fits in multiple places; some menus are overcrowded while others are nearly empty; the planner's logic isn't always clear to users and successors; there are too many menus or depth levels, etc.
One of the most common problems is that after much effort, we manage to find places for 80%-85% of the content and don't know what to do with the rest. By this point, we're already exhausted from trying to find solutions. Then comes the dangerous statement: "OK, let's create a 'General Information' button." After all, it seems logical - most of the material is organized and accessible through specific menus. Nothing that doesn't fit can be left in "organized chaos" under a menu for non-distinct topics.
So what's the problem?
Think about "the day after. "... A "General Information" button, or its other names like "Other," "Miscellaneous," etc., is indeed an easy solution, but it's also a trap.
A menu name is a type of heading. According to knowledge management principles, a heading should indicate the content so readers can navigate more easily, filter information while skimming, and know what interests them just by reading it. What does "General Information" indicate? (Nothing more than "everything that's not specific...")
Using this menu creates a snowball effect:
Site updates become lazy about finding precise locations for new items and turn to "General Information."
Before long, it becomes the site's "garbage can" – anything that doesn't fit perfectly into other menus gets put there.
As a result, most of the site's information begins to be concentrated under this button, and the content tree loses its meaning.
The true purpose of organizing the content tree is lost, and users can't find their way around. And when they can't find anything, they go looking elsewhere... Don't think that a search engine solves this problem. When the site is disorganized, nothing helps...
The conclusion:
Don't fall into the "General Information" trap!
Continue looking for solutions for your content tree until all information sits in the right place.
Leave room for expanding the tree in case new types of information are added in the future.
Don't leave temptations for "organized chaos" for those who come after you.
Think about the users - a menu name that doesn't indicate its contents is like a mask; you can't distinguish friend from foe.
And under no circumstances should you bypass the content tree!
And if you're stuck, look for a consultant. I can recommend a few...
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