S.L.A.T.C.H.?

If you’re a longtime MtMer, you probably know L.A.T.C.H.: the five ways of organizing exhibitions, experiences, or any kind of information.

If not, here are a few places to start:

- What is it?: LATCH: Five Ways to Organize Any Exhibition
- “L” for Location: 7 Ways to Organize By Location
- “C” for Chronology: Five Twists on Chronology
- Audio Version: LATCH, The Podcast

To brush up, the five L.A.T.C.H. methods are Location, Alphabetical, Time, Categorical, and Hierarchical (aka continuum). Richard Saul Wurman proposed the L.A.T.C.H. framework, and his point — yet to be overturned — is that there are only five. (Think about that for a second.)

So. Occasionally I’m asked to admit that some approach is not already covered, and warrants a new letter. The most common proposed addition is “storyline” (aka narrative). So we would have … S.L.A.T.C.H.?

Fair question. Think of a Disney ride. You do a themed pre-show, take the ride, and hit a post-show, all organized around an adventure with characters you know. That’s a storyline.

But “storyline” is already covered. It’s a subcategory of “T” — for time. A narrative unfolds chronologically, either straight or otherwise, regardless of the trimmings.

Some argue that adding characters, plot, and settings to a chronology elevates it outside the framework. But I don’t think it does.

(What do you think? Hit REPLY and let me know.)

Here’s the thing:
Organizing an experience by “storyline” is powerful. But I think it’s already covered in the existing LATCH framework: “T” for time.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
L.A.T.C.H., or LATCH. A theory, proposed by Richard Saul Wurman in the 1990s, that you can organize any information (such as an exhibition) in only five ways: by Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, or Hierarchy (aka continuum).

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P.S. Last week’s series on “What Is Experience Design?” generated a lot of reader feedback. Still have thoughts? Hit REPLY and let me know!