Robert J. Glushko is an information scientist and adjunct professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches in the School of Information. His work focuses on how information is organized across domains—from libraries and archives to software systems, digital platforms, and everyday human activity. Rather than treating organizing as a narrow technical or academic concern, he defines it as a universal practice: any system that brings resources into relationship in order to support use, understanding, or action.
He is best known for his book The Discipline of Organizing, which introduces a unifying framework for analyzing and designing organizing systems. The book integrates perspectives from computer science, information science, cognitive science, and design, offering a flexible model that applies equally to databases, APIs, taxonomies, and physical environments. Central to his approach is the idea that organizing is about intent—what relationships are created, for whom, and for what purposes—rather than any specific technology or method.
Glushko’s work has become especially influential in fields like knowledge architecture, digital product design, and data systems, where the ability to structure and relate information determines how effectively systems support decision-making and learning. By articulating organizing as a shared discipline, he enables practitioners to move beyond fragmented approaches and design systems that are coherent across time, context, and use.
