Discoverability is the capacity of something to be found. The term is used in many different
contexts in IT (information technology).
Here are a few examples of discoverability:
- In a marketing context, discoverability refers to the ability of a consumer to find a product
at the time when they have a need for it.
- In the context of regulatory
compliance, discoverability is a requirement that data be stored in such a manner that it can
be accessed if necessary. E-discovery
refers to the processes involved in producing electronic data for evidence in a civil or criminal
legal case.
- In website development, discoverability is a design consideration intended to make it possible
for visitors to the site to easily find the site elements that they seek.
- In a services-oriented architecture (SOA) context,
discoverability is a design principle that seeks to improve interoperability among services through
the use of metadata. The purpose is
to encourage reuse of components and lessen the chance of redundant service development.
- In a mobile context, discoverability is the capacity of a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to be found by
another device.
13 Nov 2012