DesignPattern

Discovering patterns in ContentManagement is critical for identifying suitable OrganizingPrinciples, recognizing contexts where content can be chunked for Reuse and SingleSourcePublishing, and helping content users to construct an adequate MentalModel or MindMap? of the content.

Related to patterns in software that led to ObjectOriented programming (OOP) - but not to be confused with PatternRecognition?, a subdiscipline of ArtificialIntelligence - the idea of a DesignPattern in InformationArchitecture is based on the work of ChristopherAlexander? in traditional architecture back in the 1960's.

Alexander's A Pattern Language and The Timeless Way of Building taught us to parse architecture into familiar units that enable us to navigate a building, like entrances, doors, and doorknobs.

His formal idea of a DesignPattern describes it as a three-part rule, expressing a relation between a certain context, a certain system of forces which occurs repeatedly in that context, and a certain configuration which allows these forces to resolve themselves. It is not simply a proven solution to some problem in some context. And a bunch of patterns do not constitute "A Pattern Language."

Alexander's influence taught architects they were not free to change the many conventions in architecture without creating confusion in their visitors. This has been a strong lesson for UserExperience engineers, who approve of innovation in VisualDesign?, but are careful to test with UserResearch to see if the visual innovation has improved or damaged a new site visitor's ability to navigate.

Design Patterns are used widely by Java programmers and by those following ObjectModelGroup? (OMG) methodologies like Grady Booch's UnifiedModelingLanguage. See the classic book on design patterns by the "Gang of Four (GoF)".

The fields of InteractionDesign, InterfaceDesign?, and HumanComputerInterface also make a great deal of use of Design Patterns.

One very important design pattern for a GraphicalUserInterface? (GUI?) is the Model-View-Controller scheme created by Xerox.

References:
A Pattern Definition (Alexander's method and terminology)
Website Patterns on IA Wiki
The Interaction Design Patterns Page
Victor Lombardi "Pattern Languages for Information Design"
Jenifer Tidwell - Common Ground
Sally Fincher - Pattern Gallery
GoF Design Patterns
HCI Design Patterns
CHI 2002 Patterns)
Groupware Patterns (on a wiki)
Martijn van Welie Patterns
Interaction Patterns in User Interfaces
UI Patterns Mailing List


BT - InformationDesign, InteractionDesign, HumanComputerInterface

RT - Model?, ModelViewController (MVC)


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