Thomas Vander Wal
Understanding Folksonomy (Tagging that Works)
2006
About this talk
Thomas Vander Wal will provide an overview on tagging services and outline where there is value in tagging. This will focus on what is different in folksonomy that improves upon tagging, so that it becomes a powerful tool. Thomas will provides insights to help answer when to use tagging and/or categories, who should be tagging, the value of a tagcloud (or lack of value) when used properly, and how to create value from tagging to improve the sites and services we build.
Photo by Natalie Downe
About Thomas Vander Wal
Thomas Vander Wal brings his 18 years experience as a designer, developer, information architect, and technosocial architect to solving his customer's problems. Thomas has been working on his Model of Attraction and Personal InfoCloud (and Local InfoCloud) as the focal point of his perspective for focussing on information beyond the page and around the needs of people in their life. In 2004 he coined the term folksonomy as a way to differentiate tagging solutions that allow people to best re-find information, from all other tagging solutions.
In 2005 Thomas incorporated InfoCloud Solutions to provide consulting and product development services to organisations that want to focus on providing their customers information solutions. In recent years Thomas has spoken and keynoted at a number of events including the IA Summit, SXSW, WebVisions and Design Engaged. Thomas was a technical lead for the founding of Boxes and Arrows magazine, helped found the what is now the Information Architect Institute, and is now on the Steering Committee for the Web Standards Project.
