Comprehensive Organization Categorization System
This document provides a complete analysis of the current categorization system in the database and proposes a comprehensive, well-thought-out replacement system based on actual data analysis.
Database Analysis Summary
Total Organizations: 1,280
Data Source: PostgreSQL database (turash)
Primary Categorization: sector and subtype fields in organizations table
Current System Analysis
Sector Distribution (21 sectors)
| Sector |
Count |
Description |
retail |
248 |
Retail stores and commercial establishments |
healthcare |
134 |
Medical facilities and healthcare providers |
services |
126 |
Professional and personal services |
automotive |
119 |
Automotive services and transportation |
food_beverage |
94 |
Restaurants, cafes, and food services |
beauty_wellness |
79 |
Beauty salons and wellness services |
religious |
86 |
Religious institutions and organizations |
education |
117 |
Educational institutions |
energy |
46 |
Energy production and utilities |
construction |
31 |
Construction and building services |
entertainment |
25 |
Entertainment and cultural venues |
financial |
43 |
Financial services and institutions |
hospitality |
24 |
Hotels and accommodation services |
manufacturing |
18 |
Manufacturing facilities |
government |
17 |
Government offices and agencies |
furniture |
32 |
Furniture and home goods |
other |
28 |
Miscellaneous categories |
sports |
2 |
Sports facilities |
technology |
2 |
Technology companies |
agriculture |
2 |
Agricultural businesses |
| (empty) |
17 |
Organizations without sector classification |
Subtype Distribution (19 subtypes)
| Subtype |
Count |
Primary Usage |
retail |
202 |
Consumer retail establishments |
healthcare |
134 |
Medical and healthcare services |
commercial |
87 |
Commercial and business services |
personal_services |
79 |
Personal care and services |
automotive |
76 |
Automotive services |
religious |
65 |
Religious institutions |
educational |
104 |
Educational services |
food_beverage |
84 |
Food and beverage services |
transportation |
15 |
Transportation services |
infrastructure |
6 |
Infrastructure services |
energy |
41 |
Energy services |
professional_services |
19 |
Professional consulting |
hospitality |
16 |
Hospitality services |
manufacturing |
16 |
Manufacturing services |
cultural |
18 |
Cultural and entertainment |
financial |
41 |
Financial services |
government |
17 |
Government services |
other |
8 |
Other services |
technology |
2 |
Technology services |
Critical Issues Identified
- Sector-Subtype Confusion: 699 organizations (54.6%) have identical sector and subtype values
- Inconsistent Classification: Some sectors have very few organizations (agriculture: 2, sports: 2, technology: 2)
- Limited Granularity: Only two levels of categorization
- User-Unfriendly: Categories are not aligned with how users search for services
Sector-Subtype Relationship Analysis
Most Problematic Combinations (where sector = subtype):
retail/retail: 202 organizations
healthcare/healthcare: 134 organizations
services/commercial: 87 organizations (different but related)
food_beverage/food_beverage: 84 organizations
Well-Differentiated Combinations:
beauty_wellness/personal_services: 79 organizations
education/educational: 104 organizations
automotive/transportation: 15 organizations
religious/cultural: 9 organizations
Additional Categorization Fields Found
Industrial Sector Codes (25 values)
Found in industrial_sector field (appears to be abbreviated codes):
| Code |
Likely Meaning |
arts_centr |
Arts Center |
bus_statio |
Bus Station |
cafe |
Cafe/Restaurant |
car_wash |
Car Wash |
cinema |
Cinema/Theater |
clinic |
Medical Clinic |
college |
College |
community_ |
Community Center |
fast_food |
Fast Food |
fire_stati |
Fire Station |
fuel |
Fuel Station |
hospital |
Hospital |
kindergart |
Kindergarten |
mortuary |
Mortuary/Funeral Services |
pharmacy |
Pharmacy |
place_of_w |
Place of Worship |
post_offic |
Post Office |
restaurant |
Restaurant |
school |
School |
social_fac |
Social Facility |
theatre |
Theatre |
townhall |
Town Hall |
training |
Training Center |
university |
University |
Product Categories (10 categories)
From products table:
| Category |
Description |
agricultural |
Agricultural products |
chemicals |
Chemical products |
construction |
Construction materials |
equipment |
Equipment and machinery |
food |
Food products |
manufacturing |
Manufactured goods |
materials |
Raw materials |
oil_gas |
Oil and gas products |
other |
Other products |
services |
Service offerings |
Site Types (4 types)
From sites table:
| Site Type |
Description |
commercial |
Commercial properties |
cultural |
Cultural facilities |
industrial |
Industrial facilities |
infrastructure |
Infrastructure facilities |
Site Ownership (2 types)
| Ownership |
Description |
private |
Privately owned |
unknown |
Ownership unknown |
Heritage Status (2 values)
| Status |
Description |
local_heritage_candidate |
Candidate for local heritage protection |
regional_heritage_candidate |
Candidate for regional heritage protection |
Proposed Comprehensive Categorization System
Three-Tier Hierarchical Structure
Tier 1: Primary Sectors (11 categories - Mutually Exclusive)
| Sector |
Description |
Current Sectors Included |
Icon |
| CONSUMER_SERVICES |
Direct services to individual consumers |
beauty_wellness, retail, services (personal) |
Scissors |
| PROFESSIONAL_SERVICES |
Specialized expertise and consulting |
services (professional), financial, technology |
Briefcase |
| HEALTHCARE_WELLNESS |
Medical care and physical/mental wellness |
healthcare |
Heart |
| EDUCATION_TRAINING |
Learning and skill development |
education |
GraduationCap |
| FOOD_HOSPITALITY |
Food service and accommodation |
food_beverage, hospitality |
UtensilsCrossed |
| RETAIL_COMMERCE |
Consumer goods and retail |
retail, furniture |
ShoppingBag |
| MANUFACTURING_INDUSTRY |
Production and industrial activities |
manufacturing, construction, energy |
Factory |
| TRANSPORTATION_LOGISTICS |
Movement of people and goods |
automotive (transportation) |
Truck |
| GOVERNMENT_PUBLIC |
Public sector and government services |
government |
Building |
| COMMUNITY_RELIGIOUS |
Community and religious organizations |
religious, entertainment, sports |
Church |
| AGRICULTURE_RESOURCES |
Agricultural and natural resources |
agriculture |
Leaf |
Tier 2: Business Types (Operational Classifications)
| Business Type |
Description |
Examples |
| direct_service |
One-on-one personal services |
Salons, tutoring, personal training |
| professional_service |
Expert consulting and advisory |
Legal, accounting, consulting |
| retail_store |
Physical retail establishments |
Shops, boutiques, stores |
| food_establishment |
Restaurants, cafes, food service |
Restaurants, cafes, food trucks |
| healthcare_facility |
Medical and healthcare providers |
Clinics, hospitals, pharmacies |
| educational_institution |
Schools and learning centers |
Schools, universities, academies |
| manufacturing_facility |
Production and manufacturing |
Factories, workshops |
| hospitality_venue |
Accommodation and entertainment |
Hotels, theaters, event spaces |
| government_office |
Public administration |
Government offices, agencies |
| religious_institution |
Places of worship and religious orgs |
Churches, temples, mosques |
| transportation_service |
Transport and logistics |
Taxi, delivery, shipping |
| online_business |
Digital-first businesses |
E-commerce, online services |
| non_profit_organization |
Charitable and community orgs |
NGOs, charities, clubs |
| construction_contractor |
Building and construction |
Contractors, builders |
| agricultural_business |
Farming and agriculture |
Farms, agricultural suppliers |
Tier 3: Service Categories (User-Need Based Filtering)
| Service Category |
Description |
User Search Context |
| essential_services |
Critical daily needs |
Emergency, medical, utilities |
| daily_living |
Everyday necessities |
Groceries, banking, household |
| personal_care |
Beauty and personal grooming |
Salons, spas, fitness |
| health_medical |
Healthcare and wellness |
Doctors, hospitals, pharmacies |
| food_dining |
Food and beverage services |
Restaurants, cafes, delivery |
| education_learning |
Educational services |
Schools, tutors, training |
| professional_business |
Business and professional services |
Legal, accounting, consulting |
| shopping_retail |
Shopping and consumer goods |
Stores, markets, malls |
| entertainment_leisure |
Recreation and entertainment |
Theaters, sports, events |
| transportation |
Getting around |
Taxi, bus, delivery |
| community_religious |
Community and spiritual services |
Churches, community centers |
| home_services |
Home and property services |
Cleaning, repairs, maintenance |
| financial_services |
Banking and financial services |
Banks, ATMs, financial advice |
| government_services |
Public services and administration |
Government offices, licenses |
| specialized_services |
Niche or specialized offerings |
Unique or expert services |
Migration Strategy
Phase 1: Data Analysis & Mapping
- Analyze current data distribution ✓ (Completed)
- Create sector-subtype mapping table
- Identify edge cases and special handling
- Validate mapping logic with sample data
Phase 2: System Implementation
- Add new categorization fields to database schema
- Create migration scripts for existing data
- Update application logic to use new system
- Implement backward compatibility during transition
Phase 3: UI/UX Updates
- Redesign filtering interfaces based on service categories
- Update search functionality for new hierarchy
- Create admin tools for new categorization
- User testing and feedback integration
Phase 4: Data Cleanup & Optimization
- Clean up legacy data after successful migration
- Optimize database indexes for new queries
- Update API endpoints and documentation
- Performance monitoring and optimization
Benefits of New System
For Users
- Intuitive navigation: Find services based on actual needs
- Better discovery: Multi-dimensional filtering reveals relevant options
- Reduced cognitive load: Categories match mental models
- Comprehensive results: No missed opportunities due to poor categorization
For Administrators
- Data quality: Clear rules prevent inconsistent classification
- Scalability: Easy to add new categories without breaking logic
- Analytics-ready: Structured data enables better insights
- Maintenance: Easier to manage and update categorization
For Developers
- Clean architecture: Well-defined hierarchical relationships
- Predictable queries: Consistent categorization patterns
- Flexible filtering: Support for complex search combinations
- Future-proof: Extensible design for new requirements
Implementation Details
Database Schema Changes
-- Add new categorization columns to organizations table
ALTER TABLE organizations ADD COLUMN primary_sector VARCHAR(50);
ALTER TABLE organizations ADD COLUMN business_types JSONB DEFAULT '[]'::jsonb;
ALTER TABLE organizations ADD COLUMN service_categories JSONB DEFAULT '[]'::jsonb;
-- Create indexes for new fields
CREATE INDEX idx_org_primary_sector ON organizations(primary_sector);
CREATE INDEX idx_org_business_types_gin ON organizations USING gin(business_types);
CREATE INDEX idx_org_service_categories_gin ON organizations USING gin(service_categories);
Mapping Logic Example
// Legacy to new system mapping
const sectorMapping: Record<string, string> = {
'retail': 'RETAIL_COMMERCE',
'healthcare': 'HEALTHCARE_WELLNESS',
'services': 'PROFESSIONAL_SERVICES', // Will be refined by subtype
'beauty_wellness': 'CONSUMER_SERVICES',
'food_beverage': 'FOOD_HOSPITALITY',
'education': 'EDUCATION_TRAINING',
'automotive': 'TRANSPORTATION_LOGISTICS',
'government': 'GOVERNMENT_PUBLIC',
'religious': 'COMMUNITY_RELIGIOUS',
'manufacturing': 'MANUFACTURING_INDUSTRY',
'financial': 'PROFESSIONAL_SERVICES',
'technology': 'PROFESSIONAL_SERVICES'
};
const subtypeToBusinessType: Record<string, string[]> = {
'retail': ['retail_store'],
'healthcare': ['healthcare_facility'],
'personal_services': ['direct_service'],
'professional_services': ['professional_service'],
'food_beverage': ['food_establishment'],
'educational': ['educational_institution'],
'transportation': ['transportation_service'],
'commercial': ['retail_store', 'professional_service'],
'religious': ['religious_institution']
};
Icon Mapping Strategy
| New Category |
Primary Icon |
Alternative Icons |
| CONSUMER_SERVICES |
Scissors |
Sparkles, User |
| PROFESSIONAL_SERVICES |
Briefcase |
Building2, Users |
| HEALTHCARE_WELLNESS |
Heart |
Stethoscope, Shield |
| EDUCATION_TRAINING |
GraduationCap |
BookOpen, School |
| FOOD_HOSPITALITY |
UtensilsCrossed |
Coffee, Hotel |
| RETAIL_COMMERCE |
ShoppingBag |
Store, Package |
| MANUFACTURING_INDUSTRY |
Factory |
Cog, Wrench |
| TRANSPORTATION_LOGISTICS |
Truck |
Car, Ship |
| GOVERNMENT_PUBLIC |
Building |
Landmark, Scale |
| COMMUNITY_RELIGIOUS |
Church |
Users, Heart |
| AGRICULTURE_RESOURCES |
Leaf |
Sprout, TreePine |
Validation & Testing
Data Integrity Checks
User Experience Testing
Performance Benchmarks
Future Extensions
Advanced Features
- User personalization: Category preferences based on search history
- Dynamic categorization: AI-assisted category suggestions
- Multi-language support: Localized category names
- Category relationships: "Related to" and "Often searched with"
Integration Points
- External data sources: Import categorization from business directories
- User feedback: Crowdsourced category improvements
- Analytics integration: Track category usage and effectiveness
- Machine learning: Automated categorization for new organizations
This comprehensive system addresses all identified issues while providing a scalable, user-centric foundation for organization categorization. The three-tier structure ensures clean separation, easy filtering, and maintainable code.