Knowledge Base Taxonomy Sample

Knowledge management isn’t just about storing the right information—it’s about making it easy to find when it matters most.

I build usable systems using taxonomy, tagging, and structured metadata that helps teams surface content faster.

That means fewer support tickets, faster onboarding, and more time for everything else.

Pawlytix Knowledge Base Taxonomy

Overview

PawPrint Pro is a fictional SaaS platform built for animal shelters, rescues, and foster networks. It offers tools for tracking animal care, managing volunteers, and streamlining adoptions. I designed this knowledge base taxonomy to demonstrate how I approach structured content, metadata governance, and user-centered organization.

🧭 Hierarchical Categories

🐾 Platform Documentation
Guides for shelter staff, volunteers, and admins
  • Animal Records: Intake, Health, Behavior Logs
  • Foster Management: Placement, Check-ins, Supplies
  • Adoptions: Applications, Match Tools, Contracts
  • Volunteer Tools: Scheduling, Messaging
  • Admin Panel: Roles, Integrations, Permissions
  • Mobile App: Features, Offline Access, Photo Uploads
🔧 Troubleshooting & Support
Fast solutions and error code references
  • Login & Access
  • Lost or Duplicate Records
  • Sync Failures
  • Reporting Errors
  • Mobile App Bugs
📝 Use Cases & Best Practices
Workflow-focused content drawn from real shelter operations
  • Intake-to-Adoption Lifecycle
  • Medical Escalation Processes
  • Emergency Foster Coordination
  • Volunteer Training Paths
  • Flagging Aggressive Behavior
🎓 Training & Onboarding
Resources for staff, fosters, and volunteers
  • Shelter Admin Onboarding
  • Foster Orientation
  • Using the App in the Field
  • Weekly Webinar Archive
  • Certification Paths
🔐 IT & Data Security
Built for enterprise shelters and tech teams
  • Data Exports & Backup
  • Integrations & API Setup
  • Compliance (GDPR, HIPAA-lite)
  • SSO / Identity Management

🏷️ Tagging Strategy

Tags enhance filtering, search, and personalization:

Audience: Admin, Staff, Foster, Volunteer, IT
Content Type: How-to, FAQ, Policy, Video
Animal Type: Dog, Cat, Other
Platform: Web, Mobile, API
Complexity: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced
Plan Tier: Free, Plus, Enterprise

🧾 Metadata Model

Each article is enriched with structured metadata:

Field Description
Title Clear, descriptive
Category Hierarchical structure (e.g. Adoptions > Applications)
Tags Predefined list for consistency
Audience Role-based filtering
Platform Web / Mobile / API
Last Reviewed Ensures accuracy and freshness
Product Version Applicable version or release
Content Owner Assigned team or SME
Related Articles Contextual linking supports discovery

🔍 Search & Navigation Experience

Sample user journey: A foster coordinator needs to quickly place a dog with medical needs.

Search query: "emergency foster medical"
Filter options: Audience: Foster | Content Type: How-to | Animal Type: Dog
Results preview:
  1. Emergency Foster Coordination (Use Cases & Best Practices)
  2. Medical Escalation Processes (Use Cases & Best Practices)
  3. Foster Placement Tools (Platform Documentation > Foster Management)

Faceted navigation: Users can browse by audience role, then filter by content type or complexity level. Search suggestions appear as users type, drawing from article titles and tags.

📊 Success Metrics

To measure knowledge base effectiveness:

Search Completion Rate
% of searches resulting in article views
Time-to-Answer
Average time from search to task completion
Content Gaps
Most common searches with no relevant results
Article Utilization
Which content gets used vs. ignored
User Satisfaction
Post-search ratings and feedback
Support Ticket Reduction
Decrease in repetitive help requests

✅ Outcome

This taxonomy reflects my approach to:

  • Structuring content around real-world tasks and workflows
  • Designing scalable systems for growing organizations
  • Applying governance through metadata and review tracking
  • Supporting both end users and internal stakeholders
  • Creating measurable, user-centered information experiences