Using Future Context in Personal Information Retrieval

With nearly universal access to vast information sources, it is difficult to discern what is important from what is not. Users, especially mobile users, are faced with a tradeoff: either check many information sources frequently or miss important information that may impact them. Improvements in information retrieval are required to consolidate diverse information and reduce the overall effort required to monitor multiple sources. Effective personal information retrieval requires context awareness, and in this work we propose the use of knowledge of future context as the basis for identifying and prioritizing information. By taking into account the user’s planned activities, it is possible to be continually informed of information that may have an impact on the user, with minimal disruption to the user. This paper provides an overview of the issues surrounding the use of future context in information retrieval and presents a context-aware retrieval system built to explore these issues: the Integrated Management of a Personal Augmented Calendar Tool (IMPACT). IMPACT employs future context to prioritize, organize and deliver information, leveraging the user’s calendar to determine future context. The goal of the IMPACT system is to provide the user with all information that will impact activities in a timely manner, while minimizing the effect of interruptions on the user

Factors shaping the evolution of electronic documentation systems

The main goal is to prepare the space station technical and managerial structure for likely changes in the creation, capture, transfer, and utilization of knowledge. By anticipating advances, the design of Space Station Project (SSP) information systems can be tailored to facilitate a progression of increasingly sophisticated strategies as the space station evolves. Future generations of advanced information systems will use increases in power to deliver environmentally meaningful, contextually targeted, interconnected data (knowledge). The concept of a Knowledge Base Management System is emerging when the problem is focused on how information systems can perform such a conversion of raw data. Such a system would include traditional management functions for large space databases. Added artificial intelligence features might encompass co-existing knowledge representation schemes; effective control structures for deductive, plausible, and inductive reasoning; means for knowledge acquisition, refinement, and validation; explanation facilities; and dynamic human intervention. The major areas covered include: alternative knowledge representation approaches; advanced user interface capabilities; computer-supported cooperative work; the evolution of information system hardware; standardization, compatibility, and connectivity; and organizational impacts of information intensive environments

Using Unified Personal Information in Workspaces

Knowledge workers (KWers) deal with personal information and use tools like, e.g., desktop workspaces to support their work. But KWer support is hindered by personal information fragmentation, i.e., applications keep a set of personal information while not interconnecting it. This thesis addresses this in the domains personal task management and meeting management by using a common unified personal information model as offered by the semantic desktop personal information management (PIM) system

Organization and Usage of Learning Objects within Personal Computers

Research report of the ProLearn Network of Excellence (IST 507310), Deliverable 7.6To promote the integration of Desktop related Knowledge Management and Technology Enhanced Learning this deliverable aims at increasing the awareness of Desktop research within the Professional Learning community and at familiarizing the e-Learning researchers with the state-of-the-art in the relevant areas of Personal Information Management (PIM), as well as with the currently on-going activities and some of the regular PIM publication venues

Institutional innovation: synthesis of programme outcomes

Report of the work of the Projects funded by the JISC Institutional change/innovation Programme 2008-2010. Report produced by the Synthesis and Benefits Realisation Team linked to the Programme