Content architecture for search and filter

Anonymous

#206070

Hi,
I just purchased a license of S&F and need a little help to make sure I make it right from the start…

I read multiple posts from Trevor on the topic, and at one point he recommended not to:
“…use hierarchies in Taxonomies (parent -> child). Use Multiple taxonomies instead. For example, a single, hierarchical Location taxonomy might become two taxonomies of Countries and Cities.”

My current situation – like most sites out there I have different categories that contain multiple sub items ex. Body Part: ankle, feet, arm, etc.
From my understanding of Trevor’s intervention is that I shouldn’t create a “Body part” category and assign child subs such a arm, ankle, feet, but rather to have all body parts in a separate category preceded or with a prefix (Body part). Is this right?

Thanks,
Ian

Trevor

#206089

It depends. Do you think you need more than one field to filter on (what do you envisage the form might look like)? If you need more than one field, you would need more than one taxonomy.

It is a question of thinking what use is going to be made of the data you have, and organizing it accordingly.

For me, when designing a website, data structure is the first thing to think of. Not menus, not style (which theme). In fact, theme is the very last thing I focus on. I like to use a theme (any theme) that has no menu system, no style, no layouts, no page builder, no grid builder.

There are plenty of good free (and ‘premium’, as supporting developers is a good thing) tools to add these to a basic theme. The best theme out there, for me, would be a theme that simply gives you a layout (not page) builder that allows you to place blocks to make the content frame, and drop widgets into those blocks.

Then use data structuring tools like CPT UI and ACF to build the structure, use Search & Filter Pro to provide the access to the data. There are other similar tools, and they may offer more, but I like the simplicity and portability of these. I don’t like to use feature heavy plugins to offer me what these do (as some tools tend to do, become bloated).

Then I think about menus. I use one that lets me drop the menu in as a widget or shortcode (Max Mega Menu). Where I think the developer needs supporting (as I use these tools a lot), I tend to buy developer licences of those free plugins, mainly to support the developer and encourage them to keep it supported.

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