The LIFT Principle is all about keeping information/data structures as simple as possible for as long as possible. Complexity/depth is only useful when things become unmanageable. Simply put: don’t create a 10-level deep folder structure if a simpler one will do.
The LIFT principle was introduced by Google as part of the AngularJS and Angular style guides. It is a code organization best practice for software developers. But in reality, this principle applies really well to Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) and Information Management (IM) in general.
LIFT is an acronym for:
This principle's goal is to ensure that we keep files and folder structures as flat as possible in order for us to be able to quickly locate and identify what we need. Also, it recommends applying the "Don't Repeat Yourself" (DRY) principle and thus avoiding duplicating information as much as possible.
Whenever you organize information, whether it is code, personal or work information, try to keep the LIFT principle in mind.
Next up : 12.09.02 Data Organization - The PARA Method