1. Study of subjects
2. Identifying the users’ needs
3. Collection of terms
4. Using the canons and principles to reach an optimum point between the generality and specificity (to be expressed in a scheme for classification)
5. Recording the terms in the chosen & most convenient format
6. Examining & compiling the recorded terms
7. Then recorded terms are sorted, grouped and arranged into facets, speciators and arrays.
8. And at last in the Idea Plane the draft structure (i.e. Idea plane work) of the schedule is written, and its presentation format is decided.
9. Next step is to identify the preferred terms, standard terms, and synonymous terms and the standard terms are included in the schedule.
10. Then the structure of the terms are examined from the point of view of the canons for verbal plane and other norms of terminology.
11. The next & the final step is, designing notational system on the basis of canons of notation

From these points it is clear that the Document classification involves three planes of work i.e., Idea Plane, Verbal Plane & Notational Plane. The work in each of these planes are distinct from each other. The efficiency of any scheme of classification mostly depends upon the dynamic theory of library classification pertaining to the idea plane. In the idea plane all aspects of the universe of knowledge is analyzed according to its structure, dimension, qualities, characteristics, kinds of relationships and the bond of strength among each item of knowledge to decide the format of scheme of classification

On the other hand the work in verbal plane is to decide the type of terminology to be used in the scheme of classification. Idea plane is to clear the thinking, analyze and arrange the universe of isolate ideas. And it is for the verbal plane to give homonym-free, synonym-free terms to a class or ranked isolates.

The Notational plane has the responsibility of implementing the findings of the idea plane & representing it in a filiatory sequence. The notational plane, therefore has to provide the mechanism in the form of notational system for the helpful and systematic arrangement of classes.

A scheme for classification involves five inherent concepts, belonging to the Idea plane, which are: -

<1> Characteristics;

<2> Succession of characteristics;

<3> Array of classes;

<4> chain of classes; and

<5> Filiatory sequence.

Accordingly five sets of canons have been provided & these five sets of canons provides several canons, like canon of differentiation, canon of relevance, canon of ascertainability, canon of permanence, canon of concomitance, canon of relevant succession, etc.

These canons select the needed characteristics out of the universe of attributes. Differentiation means that a characteristic should be able to divide the entities into at least two classes.

The Canon of Relevance emphasizes that the characteristics should be relevant to the purpose involved in the process of division. Ascertainability prescribes that the characteristic should be able to depict itself in the course of division.

The Canon of Permanence rules out any temporary phenomena or attributes for selection as characteristics

Canon of Concomitance demands that two or more characteristics that will give the same set of groups on division should not be adopted successively. And Relevant Sequence fixes the sequence of application of selected characteristics, when they are more than one.

All these Canons must be observed to have a real and helpful division.

As we all know that the very purpose of classification is to obtain a helpful sequence.

After deciding the succession of characteristics, next comes the formation of arrays in a scheme for classification. An array can simply be defined as, "a group of coordinate classes". According to Dr. Ranganathan each array of classes should satisfy these four canons: -

1. Canon of Exhaustiveness
2. Canon of Exclusiveness
3. Canon of Helpful Sequence
4. Canon of Consistent Sequence

Exhaustiveness demands that while sub-dividing a class of any extension, all its entities should find a place in one of sub-classes in the array derived from it

Exclusiveness prescribes that no overlapping between the classes in an array should exist.

Helpful Sequence demands that classes in an array should be arranged in some helpful manner. Bliss used the term ‘Collocation of co-ordinate classes’ and says that they should be arranged and collocated with regard to their characteristics.

Sayers has summarized the principles formulated by Richardson, which are:

1. Logical – from the complex to the simplest
2. Geometric – according to the position of in space
3. Chronological – position according to time
4. Genetic – according to likeness in the origin
5. Historical – a combination of many of the preceding characteristics
6. Evolutionary – from simple to complex
7. Dynamic – sequence or order of power
8. Alphabetical
9. Mathematical sequence through the value of notation- order by means of a notation

Dr. Ranganathan calls the ‘Chronological principle of Richardson’ as ‘Principle of latter in Time’ & also recommends ‘Geometrical principle’, which he termed ‘The Principle of Spatial Contiguity’. In place of Richardson’s ‘Mathematical principle’ Ranganathan formulated the ‘Principle of Canonical Sequence’ The best example for which in CC is the first order array of division of the main class Mathematics.

According to Dr. Ranganathan the principle of Helpful Sequence comprises of 9 (nine) principles, they are: -

The Canon of Consistent Sequence demands that in a particular set of circumstances the same sequence of characteristics should be adopted. For this you can see the example given in the tabular form: -

According to Dr. Ranganathan each chain of classes in a scheme for classification should satisfy the following two canons: -

1. Canon of Decreasing Extension
2. Canon of Modulation,

The Canon of Decreasing Extension is an important principle of helpful sequence & it demands that a wider class should come before a narrower class. If the Canon of Decreasing Extension prescribes as how to derive a chain, the purpose of the Canon of Modulation is to specify as what to include in the various links of a chain.

The Canons of Verbal Plane demands that, the terms used in the schedule should be Current, Non-Critical & should denote the different classes of lower order in the chain. Dewey used the terms ‘Minor’ & ‘Humbug’ which violates the concept of canon of reticence.

The Canon of Synonym demands that, No subject or isolate idea should be represented by two or more class numbers or isolate numbers and Homonym demands that No class number or isolate number should be used to denote two or more subjects or isolate ideas.

The Canon of Relativity demands that the length of notation in a scheme should be according to the depth or intension, of the subject In contrary to this canon, the Canon of Uniformity states that the length of the notation (class number) should be constant irrespective of the order (i.e., intension) of the subject.

Co-Extensiveness means that sufficient digits must be added to class number for individualizing each of the characteristics admitted by the universe classified and relevant to the purpose of classification. CC6 fully satisfies this canon but DDC19 respects this canon partially. The Canon of Co-Extensiveness must be followed in order to make a scheme for classification free from homonyms.

Now in the end of talk if I would like to sum up, we feel that basically classification process is nothing but the work involved in three planes, as I told Idea plane, Verbal Plane & Notational Plane. Canons are nothing but the guidelines for a classificationist as well as a classifier. They are not at all hard and fast rules, sometimes as we saw one canon itself is contradicted by the other. So it is our choice to select the best possible solution to serve the users.