The impact of information organization schemes on the quality of information on the world wide web

Purpose: Identification of the potential impact of information organisation schemes on the quality of information. The schemes under consideration are presented in the context of improving the quality of information presented on Web pages. Design/methodology/approach: The literature review on information architecture and information quality presents an analysis of the possible impact on information quality of exact and ambiguous schemes. The research utilises examples of the use of information organisation schemes on websites in different areas and industries. Findings: The analysis of the presented schemes revealed that several information quality characteristics were affected. The alphabetic, chronological and geographic schemes (exact schemes) were found to significantly improve eleven information quality criteria: timeliness, accessibility, unambiguity, completeness, clarity, usefulness/utility, consistency, speed, usability, verifiability and comprehensibility. Thematic, task-based, metaphor-based and hybrid (ambiguous schemes) affect eight information quality characteristics: relevancy, speed, timeliness, accessibility, completeness, communicativeness, clarity/understandability, and credibility. Five are present in both groups of schemes: timeliness, accessibility, completeness, speed, and comprehensibility. It is important to note that the set of features presented is not exhaustive and that the identification of new ones requires further in-depth research. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of the conducted research include the presentation of a limited number of examples from different areas. Further research focused on a specific industry will allow for detailed verification of the identified characteristics or the discovery of new ones. Practical implications: The utilisation of information organisation schemes enhances the quality of the information presented, which has practical applications in the presentation of information on the World Wide Web. The presentation of poor-quality information can result in erroneous decisions, which can give rise to a number of adverse consequences, particularly for individual users. Originality/value: The characterisation of schemes presented in the publication enabled the demonstration of their impact on several characteristics of information quality. Furthermore, examples of the use of schemes in improving selected features of information quality on the World Wide Web were indicated. The publication is aimed at both users of websites, producers and providers of information, as well as managers of websites.