Sessions

Have an information problem that seems too overwhelming to organize? Are the taxonomies and controlled vocabularies not providing the richness of meaning and understanding you need to wrangle your information environment? Adopting an ontological mindset might help you push through and solve your hardest IA problems. In this fun, informal, practitioner-focused workshop, Washington DC ontologist Ren Pope and Chicago area strategist / IA Jessica DuVerneay will present and facilitate a 3-part seminar:

• Ontology Dojo: Ontology 101
  • This is a series of short talks designed to provide an understanding of ontology frameworks geared towards IA practitioners. We will cover: definitions, the philosophical grounding of ontology as an information practice, business cases, the purpose and structure of ontologies, typical deliverables, and pro tips on when and why to work with an ontological mindset.
• Guided Ontology Development Activity
  • This session will be devoted to hands-on activity working with a practical framework. Small groups of participants will roll up their sleeves and try their hand at creating and discussing a user-centric, real life ontology.
• Application of Ontology
  • In this final session, groups will learn how to apply their ontologies in real life, and next steps to continue learning the practice of taking ontological mindset.