TAXONOMY 102How to make Taxonomy Customizations,

and Policies to Consider

CONVERSATION TOPICS

Taxonomy Customization

What is it

Why we do it

How to start

Horizontal & Vertical Indexing

What is it

How to avoid it

Target Terms

Decisions to make when

building your target term policy

Your Resource Database

AIRS 211 Taxonomy with over 9000 terms

WHAT IS TAXONOMY

CUSTOMIZATION?

WHY IS THE TAXONOMY SO BIG?

Because its awesome!

Constantly improving

Used by lots of different kinds of agencies

311’s 211’s Health Agencies

Comprehensive I&R

Specialized I&R Tourist Bureaus

CUSTOMIZE TO MAKE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – MANAGEABLE!

It’s okay to…

be selective

to deactivate entire

sections

not be perfect

Think about…

who you serve

what kinds of records

do you maintain

needs for your

community

CUSTOMIZE TO MAKE SEARCH RESULTS HELPFUL

How many results do you like as an I&R

Specialist?

To many?

To few?

How many would a public user read before

leaving your site?

BEFORE YOU START

Steps to take before you customize:

1. Do you have Resource Management software, built to use

the 211 Taxonomy?

2. Do you have a subscription to the AIRS/211 LA County

Taxonomy of Human Services (www.211taxonomy.org)?

3. Are your Resources ready for indexing?

• Detailed descriptions

• Existing customized keywords or categories (Optional)

DON’T GET LOST – START SMALL

1. Start with one or more “Mini-projects”

Mini-projects are great to build confidence not only

for your Resource Staff, but for your I&R staff too!

Pick a group of services in your database, and index

them with service term you think make the most sense.

Once you make a decision on a level, document it –

and index all similar records consistently!

MINI-PROJECT EXAMPLES

Food Pantries

Free Income Tax programs

MINI-PROJECT EXAMPLES

Homeless Shelters

WHAT NEXT?

Go section by section (or do more mini-projects)

Index all the resources in your database that are

included in those sections

Make indexing decisions as you go

Remember to consult with your I&R

Accept feedback, and consider modifying your

customization decisions.

HOW TO DOCUMENT DECISIONS

Word Processing Document and/or Spreadsheet

HOW TO DOCUMENT DECISIONS

AIRS Filters

AIRS FILTERS

Subscribers of the 211 Taxonomy can access by:

1. Logging into 211taxonomy.org

2. Clicking on the “Filters” tab

iCarol

FILTER TYPE 1: PRIVATE FILTERS

FILTER TYPE 2:OFFICIAL FILTERS (AKA: TEMPLATES)

FILTER TYPE 3:COMMUNITY FILTERS

LETS SEE IT IN ACTION

Create a New Private Filter Edit a Private Filter

Steps:

1. Log in to www.211taxonomy.org

2. Click on the “Filters” tab

3. Click on the “Add a filter” link

4. (Required) Name your filter - can be

changed later

5. (Optional) Include your Contact Name

and Phone Number (for sharing)

6. (Optional) Include a description

7. Click “OK”

1. Click on “Include/exclude terms”

2. Click on the term name to drill down

into the taxonomy

3. Click on

• “Exclude term” to exclude it an all

the records below

• “Exclude children” to only exclude

the records below

• “Include term” to re-include a

single term

• “Include term (and parents)” to

re-include the term and the terms

above

MANAGING FILTERS WHEN THE TAXONOMY IS UPDATED

New terms are flagged for review, and are given a status

automatically based on your customization decisions.

Excluded Included

New Child

Under an Excluded Parent

New Child

Under an Included Parent

• IF some or all Siblings are

Included (or Excluded)

New Child

Under an Included Parent

• IF all Siblings are Excluded

New Child

Under an Included Parent

without Children

USEFUL FILTER TOOLS

Lots of tools, check out the 211Taxonomy.org site for

options:

View Term Counts (how many included/excluded)

Generate Outline Report (PDF)

Download Filters in XML format (Sharing!)

Choose a Filter to filter your Taxonomy search

results (Advance searching)

CHECK IN

We have covered the:

What

Why

How to Start

How to document decisions

Using and Managing Filters

LIMITED RESOURCES

LOTS OF RESOURCES – BUT OFFERED IN VARIOUS WAYS

WATCH FOR SIMILAR SERVICE TERMS

vs.

MORE SIMILAR SERVICE TERMS

vs.

EVEN MORE SIMILAR SERVICE TERMS

LJ-5000.6600

Prenatal Care

LJ-5000.1500

Childbirth

Education

PH-6100.1800

Expectant/New

Parent Assistance

LH-6300.6400

Pastoral Care

LT-0500.8000

Spiritual Healing

LT-1750.7935

Sexual Assault

Treatment

RP-1400.8000-800

Sexual Assault

Counselling

YK-2000.8000

Single Parent

Families

YK-6500.8000

Single Parents

vs. vs.

vs.

vs.

vs.

Why its not recommended

Increases workload

Produces inconsistent

search results

Inaccurate picture of

services in the community

Confuses

documentation of needs

DOUBLE INDEXINGAKA: HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL INDEXING

What is it?

Adding two or more

service terms for a single

service concept/activity.

Why it happens?

In the hope to make it

easier for users to search

for resources.

TYPES OF DOUBLE INDEXING

“Vertical” (aka: “Intrabranch”)

Indexing with terms from the same branch.

Example of same level vertical indexing:

AND

TYPES OF DOUBLE INDEXING

“Vertical” (aka: “Intrabranch”)

Indexing with terms from the same branch.

Example of lower and higher level vertical indexing:

AND

TYPES OF DOUBLE INDEXING

“Horizontal” (aka: “Interbranch”)

Indexing with terms from multiple branches.

Example:

AND

HOW TO AVOID DOUBLE INDEXING

Think: “one activity equals one service term”

Follow AIRS Best Practices for indexing

Index at the most specific term available (within your

customized version of the taxonomy)

Be consistent, and index all similar programs the same

Help improve the taxonomy and avoid double

indexing temptation by suggesting enhancements to the

taxonomy

DOUBLE INDEXING IS NOT

Indexing meant to give focus:

one or more target terms linked to a service term

a modality term

an organization/facility term

Double indexing only occurs when multiple service

terms are used to index a specific activity/concept.

DOUBLE INDEXING IS NOT

Example indexing with a modality term:

Its okay to also index with:

Community Voicemail (BM-6500.6500-170

Fax Machines (BM-6000.2000)

Public Access Computers/Tools (TJ-1800.6650)

Indexing Using Target

Population Terms

by Diane Gatto and

Cathleen Kelly

This document can be

downloaded from the

AIRS Networker

Library.

THE 3 PURPOSE OF TARGETS

1. Group services by characteristics / populations,

regardless of the service type

2. Focus a general service term, to make it more specific

3. Refine search results based on a characteristic /

population

CREATE YOUR OWN TARGET TERM POLICY ADVENTURE

Step One: Choose your Indexing Style

• Will you use linked or floating target terms?

Linked Floating

Food Pantry * Immigrant * Women Vs. Food Pantry

Immigrant

Women

If linked, decide and document the order of terms.

Once you create a linked term, stick with it.

Step Two: Choose your Implied Targets Style

• How will you/or will you target services with implied targets?

Implied Targets Targets

Homeless Drop in Centers Homeless People

Older Adults Social Clubs Older Adults

Teen Expectant/New Parent Assistance Teenage Parents

Pregnant Teens

CREATE YOUR OWN TARGET TERM POLICY ADVENTURE

Step Three: Choose Selective or Open Targeting

• Will you be specific about terms to target, or more free?

Over targeting is a risk with Open targeting, avoid this by

customizing.

START YOUR TARGET TERM POLICY

Selective Open

Choose a specific service

terms you want to target

(and only those terms

Free for all!

Target everything (within

reason!)

Step Four: Choose your Target Customization Style

• What levels of the targets will you use? Some are easier than

others

Easier Harder

Caregivers

Formal Caregivers

Informal Caregivers

Long Distance Caregivers

Cancer

Breast Cancer

Prostate Cancer

[insert other cancers not

included in taxonomy]

START YOUR TARGET TERM POLICY

Step Five: Will you Double Target?

Higher Term Lower Term

Developmental Disabilities Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cancer Breast Cancer

Homeless People Homeless Veterans

Double Targeting is not Double indexing – this is okay, and

within the AIRS standards

START YOUR TARGET TERM POLICY

Step 5.a): If you will, choose your Double Targeting Style

Style 1 Style 2 Style 3

Use either the

higher or the lower

term

Use both the higher

and lower term

linked to services

Use both the higher

and lower term

Pro: Easy to

maintain!

None, not

recommended.

Pro: Can group

services

Con: Groups don’t

work as well

Con: Lots of work,

because you are

indexing everything

twice

Con: May not be

needed depending

on your software

START YOUR TARGET TERM POLICY

THANK YOU

Stay in touch or follow up after the conference:

Crystal McEachern

crystal@icarol.com