Introduction

Finding the right data can sometimes feel like archaeology—digging deep into uncharted territories, sifting through clues, and evaluating whether what you've uncovered is truly what you seek. When dealing with unstructured data, it's similar to navigating through rugged landscapes with few clues. But applying context and systematic rules can make data retrieval more efficient and informative. Introducing Johnny.decimal—a structured approach designed to bring order and efficiency to the chaos of unstructured data. It offers a unique method for organizing information with a clear and hierarchical framework.

​

Advantages

• Structured Hierarchy: By breaking down data into a decimal-based structure, Johnny.decimal provides a clear and organized hierarchy, allowing for easy navigation and retrieval of information.

• Efficient Categorization: With a limited set of categories and subcategories (0-9), Johnny.decimal simplifies the process of organizing diverse types of data without overwhelming complexity.

• Scalability and Flexibility: The system can adapt to various projects and contexts, making it suitable for personal and professional use alike.

​

How to start

Imagine your computer as a physical storage space. We can’t put everything on the floor, so we buy some shelves. Just like we can't scatter everything on the floor, we organize with shelves. If we had an endless number of shelves, finding anything would be impossible. So, we stick with ten. We assign each shelf to a specific area of our life: one for life administration, another for home business, and yet another for our music hobby. Notice that we don't have to fill all ten shelves right away. There's space to expand as needed.

​

 

​

 

 

 

 

Each shelf contains space for ten boxes. We decide how to categorize the things we're going to store. For life administration, we might use boxes for finance, health, house, education, technology, and travel.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Your categories might be different. Maybe you own a car, or have kids. You design your system to suit your life. Our boxes have space for a number, so we label everything neatly.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

This is exactly how your file will look:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

​

To build your own Johnny.decimal system, follow these steps:

• Break Everything Down: Divide your data into no more than ten main areas and further categorize each area into no more than ten subcategories.

• Assign numbers: assign numbers to those areas and categories.

• Create Items and IDs: Begin assigning Johnny.decimal IDs to items within your structured framework.

• Track Your System: Keep a record of your numbers and IDs to ensure consistency and ease of reference.

It isn’t much more complicated than that.

​

For a quick overview of Johnny.decimal's concept, watch this 1-minute video: Video Link

​

Advice: don’t rush the process. Take the time to understand the scope of your organizational needs and recognize patterns before finalizing your categories.

​

​

Useful links

​

1) For more information and detailed guidance on Johnny.decimal, visit Johnny.Decimal Website or explore the methodology in video format on YouTube.

2) ​Create your own structured data system with the Johnny.Decimal Index Generator, an interactive tool designed to simplify the process of organizing information.