Findability on the Cheap

The Low-Cost Cure For 'Bad Search' "The answer, we're told, is either a massive taxonomy and classification initiative, a six-figure investment in a new search engine or the next release of the Windows operating system."

"Good foldering and file-naming practices focus on subject or function (rather than owner/author, creation/edit dates or other values available as metadata). Names should be consistent and concise (with eight or fewer characters) for easy navigation. Avoid repeating information available at a higher or lower level of the hierarchy (you don't need to use "contract" in the file name, for example, if it's in a "Contracts" folder)."

"Better search engines, classification tools and taxonomies have their place — particularly in large organizations that have been through mergers and reorganizations. But don't let big investments become a Band-Aid for poor training and a lack of best practices. With $31 billion in productivity at stake, an ounce of prevention is worth a lot of money. E-mail your best tips, practices and horror stories, and we'll publish the standouts in an upcoming issue."