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Understanding Categories and Tags

This guide provides a detailed explanation of categories and tags concepts and their differences.

Why Organization Matters

When work photos accumulate:

  • Difficult to find the photos you need
  • Cannot distinguish which site or task they belong to
  • Wasted time when preparing reports

With categories and tags organization:

  • Quickly search for desired photos
  • Clear distinction by site/task
  • Efficient workflow

Categories

Concept

Categories divide media into broad groups.

Category Characteristics

  • Each media belongs to only one category
  • Similar to a folder structure
  • Mutually exclusive classification

Analogy

Categories are like a chest of drawers.

  • An item (photo) can only go in one drawer
  • Each drawer (category) is clearly separated
  • "Which drawer should I put this photo in?" decision

Usage Examples

Construction Site:

Category Contents
Site Overview Overall site appearance
Construction Process Work progress
Material Delivery Delivered materials
Safety Inspection Safety-related items
Completion Photos Finished work

Facility Management:

Category Contents
Regular Inspection Periodic inspection records
Repair History Before/after repairs
Complaint Reception Complaint-related photos
Equipment Management Equipment status

Tags

Concept

Tags allow you to attach multiple labels to media.

Tag Characteristics

  • Multiple tags possible per media
  • Express various attributes simultaneously
  • Enable cross-referencing searches

Analogy

Tags are like sticky notes.

  • You can attach multiple sticky notes to one photo
  • "Urgent" + "2nd Floor" + "Leak" all at once
  • Can be found by any sticky note

Usage Examples

Location Tags:

  • 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor
  • Parking Lot, Rooftop
  • Building A, Building B

Status Tags:

  • Urgent
  • In Progress
  • Completed
  • On Hold

Type Tags:

  • Crack
  • Leak
  • Damage
  • Contamination

Categories vs Tags Comparison

Key Differences

Aspect Categories Tags
Quantity Only 1 possible Multiple possible
Question "What is this?" "What features does it have?"
Nature Exclusive Overlapping allowed
Purpose Main classification Detailed attributes

Selection Criteria

Classify with Categories:

  • The primary purpose of the media
  • Things where only one must be selected
  • Based on work process

Classify with Tags:

  • Additional attributes of the media
  • Things where multiple could apply
  • Keywords for searching

Combined Example

Practical Usage Example

Situation: Discovered a leak in the 2nd floor bathroom, urgent repair needed

Applied to photo:

  • Category: Regular Inspection (What kind of work?)
  • Tags:
    • 2nd Floor (Where?)
    • Bathroom (Specific location)
    • Leak (What problem?)
    • Urgent (Priority)

When searching:

  • Can be viewed in "Regular Inspection" category
  • Can be filtered by "2nd Floor" tag
  • Can be filtered by "Urgent" tag
  • Can be filtered by "Leak" tag

Designing an Effective Classification System

Step 1: Design Categories

Define categories based on work processes or purposes.

Category Design Tips

  • Around 5-10 is appropriate
  • Too many makes selection difficult
  • Organize according to workflow

Step 2: Design Tags

Define tags as keywords for searching.

Tag Design Tips

  • Select frequently searched keywords
  • Use consistent naming conventions
  • Organize by groups (location, status, type, etc.)

Step 3: Establish Rules

Set common rules with team members.

  • Which category for what situation?
  • Required tags to add?
  • Tag naming format?

Next Steps