Seven types of information
From TechWriter Wiki
Information Mapping identifies the following seven categories into which (it claims) all information can be placed "based on the purpose or function of the information to the reader":
| Type of information | Description | See also |
|---|---|---|
| Procedure | A set of steps that a person performs to obtain a specified outcome. This includes decisions that need to be made | Instructions |
| Process | A series of changes through time for some purpose. Involves what happens during successive stages of time, or descriptions of "how it works". (Most of the sciences are descriptions of processes.) | Process documents |
| Structure | A physical thing, or something which can be divided into parts that have physical or identifiable boundaries. | |
| Concept | A group of physical objects, conditions, relations, events or ideas that share a unique combination of critical attributes not shared by other groups and that can be referred to by one or more words or symbols. | |
| Principle | A statement of what should be done (e.g., laws, policies), what is the case (e.g., generalizations) and assumptions. | |
| Fact | A statement presented without supporting evidence. Examples might include symbols, measurements, dates associated with events, and experimental results. | |
| Classification | The sorting of a group of specimens into classes or categories by the use of one or more sorting factors. |
Descriptions taken from Developing Procedures, Policies & Documentation by Robert E. Horn.
Note that these information types are not document types - a document may include several different types of information. These types of information are best thought of as blocks of information that are combined to form a complete publication.
