Hello,
May be the discussion about problem-based information categorisation is too
close to the 'problem'?
Humans 'chunk' things for many reasons.
The main reason is to minimise transaction cost in the Coasian sense. I find
this is one of the most useful tools in understanding this sort of problem
and the associated organisational issues.
Looking at how information is chunked with respect to problem or theory
categories, it depends what you are shopping for and why and where you are
shopping.
For engineering designers over the the last 150 years or so, institution
transactions and journals (e.g. IMechE) have been the touchstone of theory
and research findings rather than university-based information structures.
Transactions are organised on a problem basis (mainly in terms of problem
groups, such as designing vehicles, process plant, computer architectures
etc). Similarly, categorising knolewdge in terms of research funding has
been organised by industry sector - another problem-based structure.
Best wishes,
Terry
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