hierarchies are systems of connected or nested groups or collections. folder structures, for example, are a common hierarchal system in knowledge management. they’re organized from the top down, they’re rigid (and so resilient), and are helpful in [[people prefer to navigate file systems manually|navigating systems manually]], especially when dealing with large amounts of data. networks are made up of connected self-contained nodes that organically develop their relationships to other nodes over time. they’re flexible, can be oriented in any direction, and prioritize the autonomy of the individual object. hierarchies are a “system of connected groups”, while networks are made up of connected series of self-contained “nodes” which “[negotiate their] own relationships into groups”. in other words, h - Hierarchies are a “system of connected groups”, while networks are made up of connected series of self-contained “nodes” which “[negotiate their] own relationships and [coalesce] into groups”. - While hierarchies are organized from the top down, networks can be oriented in any direction. (This is one reason I feel like we should be able to orient things like the Obsidian graph to show nodes on a timeline as just one example of an orientation… - Hierarchies are resilient, helpful in [[people prefer to navigate file systems manually|navigating systems manually]], and are good at organizing large amounts of data. Networks, meanwhile, are flexible and prioritize autonomy of the individual “objects” or parts of the system. - These two structures compliment each other and the overuse of one tends to require course-correction with the other. As a network expands, it can become difficult to manage; as a hierarchy expands, it can become difficult to form connections and relationships. - Both are required for effective and enduring knowledge management. - See more thoughts on the folders vs. tags vs. links debate in [[folders do not make my brain itch]]