channelswhat

Channelswhat is a fictional construct used in discussions of cross-channel information systems to illustrate how content could be organized and delivered across diverse platforms. In the channelswhat model, every information unit carries a what descriptor that defines its content type and a set of channels that represent the delivery paths (for example, web, mobile app, smart speaker, email). The idea is to unify content routing by linking the item to a registry of channels and a routing policy that respects user preferences, device capabilities, and context.

The core components typically include a channel registry, a content descriptor schema, and a routing engine. The registry defines available channels and their capabilities, the descriptor encodes attributes such as format, length, and interactivity, and the routing engine selects suitable channels and formats for delivery.

Origin and usage: The term has appeared mainly in hypotheticals, speculations, and academic exercises about information architecture and multi-channel experiences, rather than as an implemented standard.

Limitations: It is theoretical and lacks standardization, interoperability, and practical privacy protections; real systems instead rely on established metadata, adapters, and API-based delivery.

Examples of discussion: in a thought experiment about a universal publisher that relays content across channels based on user settings.

See also: cross-channel marketing, information architecture, channel theory, metadata, content discovery.