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12/12/2005

Connecting the Dots

The ability to organize and view digital content in a graphical format that helps the information seeker see the bigger picture has been on many libraries wishlists for a long time. Over the past few years there have been several vendors (including Library vendors such as AquaBrowser by MediaLab Solutions) working on innovative projects that attempt to do just by connecting the dots between different information categories and search terms. If you're completely clueless about what I'm talking about, well then take a look at these examples:

  1. Live Plasma - Enter a favorite artist, movie, director or actor in this search tool to see how the association is created.
  2. CNet's The Big Picture - Connect the dots between news stories, topics and companies.
  3. AquaBrowser - This search tool designed for Libraries help users connect the dots between information topics and different types of sources (catalog, internet, etc.) Try it for yourself here.
What are your thoughts on this graphical approach to displaying information and search results? Do you like it or find it easier to use than a page of links?

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