Tag an Object

Also known as: Tagging
Tags: actions, navigation

Tags are keywords that are used to make information (e.g. pictures, computer files, books) easier to find.

Encourage users add their own tags to objects and let them manage existing tags to build a user-generated navigation system.

Edit Bookmark

Delicious allows users to add tags to their bookmarks to make them easier to be found again. When a user bookmarks a page, delicious suggests tags that might be appropriate for the bookmark.

What Problem Does The Pattern Solve?

A user wants to attach their own keyword or set of keywords to an object for organization and later retrieval.

When to Use It?

  • User is collecting a large amount of unstructured data, like photos (Flickr)
  • User wants to manage a large collection of items, like books (Amazon)
  • Use this pattern to blend user generated labels and keywords with structured metadata.

How to Use It?

Allow users to add their own tags to an object.
  • Allow users to delete tags they have associated with an object. This allows for deletion of duplicates or mis-spellings.
  • Provide very clear instructions for how to separate distinct tags. There are two methods currently popular across the web right now – comma delimited and space delimited. Either of these can be used, but be consistent and very clear in labels as to which is being used. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking the delimiter is a comma and entering a multiword tag only to have it separated out into multiple tags thereby changing the meaning or intent of the tag.
  • For more robust social engagement, allow connections and/or friends to tag objects in a collection.
  • Don’t be afraid to mix a controlled vocabulary — defined by the site architects — and user generated tags.

Recommendations

  • Adding tagging to objects as a product feature should offer a benefit to the user. Do the tags help him find and manage his collection? Do the tags tighten the circle of community? Tagging as a user activity is more successful when there is a payoff to the user and their friends.
  • Provide tag hints if the item being tagged is a public item (a news article, a bookmark). Delicious shares recommended tags or previous tags associated with the object so that the user can select from these or simply add to the collective tag set for the object.
  • Tags and the ability to add a tag mechanism should be in close proximity to the object being tagged.

Why to Use It?

  • Tags make content easier to find.
  • Tagging lets users to organize and categorize their collections of items in the way they find useful.

Sources

This pattern is based on the “Tag An Object” pattern from Open Design Patterns.

Useful Links

Code Examples

Where Is It Used? (2 examples)

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