An analytical inspection framework for evaluating the search tactics and user profiles supported by information seeking interfaces

Searching is something we do everyday both in digital and physical environments. Whether we are searching for books in a library or information on the web, search is becoming increasingly important. For many years, however, the standard for search in software has been to provide a keyword search box that has, over time, been embellished with query suggestions, Boolean operators, and interactive feedback. More recent research has focused on designing search interfaces that better support exploration and learning. Consequently, the aim of this research has been to develop a framework that can reveal to designers how well their search interfaces support different styles of searching behaviour.The primary contribution of this research has been to develop a usability evaluation method, in the form of a lightweight analytical inspection framework, that can assess both search designs and fully implemented systems. The framework, called Sii, provides three types of analyses: 1) an analysis of the amount of support the different features of a design provide; 2) an analysis of the amount of support provided for 32 known search tactics; and 3) an analysis of the amount of support provided for 16 different searcher profiles, such as those who are finding, browsing, exploring, and learning. The design of the framework was validated by six independent judges, and the results were positively correlated against the results of empirical user studies. Further, early investigations showed that Sii has a learning curve that begins at around one and a half hours, and, when using identical analysis results, different evaluators produce similar design revisions.For Search experts, building interfaces for their systems, Sii provides a Human-Computer Interaction evaluation method that addresses searcher needs rather than system optimisation. For Human-Computer Interaction experts, designing novel interfaces that provide search functions, Sii provides the opportunity to assess designs using the knowledge and theories generated by the Information Seeking community. While the research reported here is under controlled environments, future work is planned that will investigate the use of Sii by independent practitioners on their own projects

SEARCHING AS THINKING: THE ROLE OF CUES IN QUERY REFORMULATION

Given the growing volume of information that surrounds us, search, and particularly web search, is now a fundamental part of how people perceive and experience the world. Understanding how searchers interact with search engines is thus an important topic both for designers of information retrieval systems and educators working in the area of digital literacy. Reaching such understanding, however, with the more established, system-centric, approaches in information retrieval (IR) is limited. While inherently iterative nature of the search process is generally acknowledged in the field of IR, research on query reformulation is typically limited to dealing with the what or the how of the query reformulation process. Drawing a complete picture of searchers\u27 behavior is thus incomplete without addressing the why of query reformulation, including what pieces of information, or cues, trigger the reformulation process. Unpacking that aspect of the searchers\u27 behavior requires a more user-centric approach. The overall goal of this study is to advance understanding of the reformulation process and the cues that influence it. It was driven by two broad questions about the use of cues (on the search engine result pages or the full web pages) in the searchers\u27 decisions regarding query reformulation and the effects of that use on search effectiveness. The study draws on data collected in a lab setting from a sample of students who performed a series of search tasks and then went through a process of stimulated recall focused on their query reformulations. Both, query reformulations recorded during the search tasks and cues elicited during the stimulated recall exercise, were coded and then modeled using the mixed effects method. The final models capture the relationships between cues and query reformulation strategies as well as cues and search effectiveness; in both cases some relationships are moderated by search expertise and domain knowledge. The results demonstrate that searchers systematically elicit and use cues with regard to query reformulation. Some of these relationships are independent from search expertise and domain knowledge, while others manifest themselves differently at different levels of search expertise and domain knowledge. Similarly, due to the fact that the majority of the reformulations in this study indicated a failure of the preceding query, mixed results were achieved with identifying relationships between the use of cues and search effectiveness. As a whole, this work offers two contributions to the field of user-centered information retrieval. First, it reaffirms some of the earlier conceptual work about the role of cues in search behavior, and then expands on it by proposing specific relationships between cues and reformulations. Second, it highlights potential design considerations in creating search engine results pages and query term suggestions, as well as and training suggestion for educators working on digital literacy

A Nine Month Report on Progress Towards a Framework for Evaluating Advanced Search Interfaces considering Information Retrieval and Human Computer Interaction

This is a nine month progress report detailing my research into supporting users in their search for information, where the questions, results or even thei

Re-examining and re-conceptualising enterprise search and discovery capability: towards a model for the factors and generative mechanisms for search task outcomes.

Many organizations are trying to re-create the Google experience, to find and exploit their own corporate information. However, there is evidence that finding information in the workplace using search engine technology has remained difficult, with socio-technical elements largely neglected in the literature. Explication of the factors and generative mechanisms (ultimate causes) to effective search task outcomes (user satisfaction, search task performance and serendipitous encountering) may provide a first step in making improvements. A transdisciplinary (holistic) lens was applied to Enterprise Search and Discovery capability, combining critical realism and activity theory with complexity theories to one of the worlds largest corporations. Data collection included an in-situ exploratory search experiment with 26 participants, focus groups with 53 participants and interviews with 87 business professionals. Thousands of user feedback comments and search transactions were analysed. Transferability of findings was assessed through interviews with eight industry informants and ten organizations from a range of industries. A wide range of informational needs were identified for search filters, including a need to be intrigued. Search term word co-occurrence algorithms facilitated serendipity to a greater extent than existing methods deployed in the organization surveyed. No association was found between user satisfaction (or self assessed search expertise) with search task performance and overall performance was poor, although most participants had been satisfied with their performance. Eighteen factors were identified that influence search task outcomes ranging from user and task factors, informational and technological artefacts, through to a wide range of organizational norms. Modality Theory (Cybersearch culture, Simplicity and Loss Aversion bias) was developed to explain the study observations. This proposes that at all organizational levels there are tendencies for reductionist (unimodal) mind-sets towards search capability leading to fixes that fail. The factors and mechanisms were identified in other industry organizations suggesting some theory generalizability. This is the first socio-technical analysis of Enterprise Search and Discovery capability. The findings challenge existing orthodoxy, such as the criticality of search literacy (agency) which has been neglected in the practitioner literature in favour of structure. The resulting multifactorial causal model and strategic framework for improvement present opportunities to update existing academic models in the IR, LIS and IS literature, such as the DeLone and McLean model for information system success. There are encouraging signs that Modality Theory may enable a reconfiguration of organizational mind-sets that could transform search task outcomes and ultimately business performance

How can start-ups increase their value co-creation through SEO?

Abstract. The internet started in the 1960s for government researchers to exchange research. Tim Berners Lee created the foundation for the web in 1990, which consisted of the HTTP protocol, a browser, a server, and the world’s first website. Netscape, an early web browser, had a very successful IPO in 1995, which ultimately popularized the web and sparked the so-called “Dot Com bubble.” The World Wide Web, since its creation until now, has become a critical channel between companies and customers. Over half of the internet starts their search on a search engine, making it imperative for companies that want to stay competitive to have a website online. Ever since the commercialization of the internet, startup companies have competed for the first search results in search engines through a digital marketing technique known as Search Engine Optimization. SEO as a study topic has been studied since Google was created in 1998. This thesis explores how value co-creation is created with Search Engine Optimization and how the two concepts are related. The context is for high-growth start-up companies that aim to increase their digital presence online. The research method is qualitative dominant and takes an abductive approach. The primary data was collected from a young startup company in North America and consisted of an extensive data set of user behavior. The data consisted of screen recordings of the users and user metrics collected through a tracking script on the website. The secondary data used takes the form of peer-reviewed articles, previous SEO studies, online articles, and books. Search Engine Optimization was found to enable companies that want to increase their value co-creation based on the data. It was shown to have the capacity to boost their online presence, create more opportunities for value co-creation, and provide an insight into any blockages preventing co-creation. Essentially, SEO was found to be a vehicle to drive users to companies’ websites and increase the chances for the company to engage the user with a value proposition that could later turn into value-creation. The data also revealed that companies could choose to become co-creators in value if they choose to do so. This was a contrary finding to the pre-existing theory

RNA Viruses: RNA Roles in Pathogenesis, Coreplication and Viral Load.

The review intends to present and recapitulate the current knowledge on the roles and importance of regulatory RNAs, such as microRNAs and small interfering RNAs, RNA binding proteins and enzymes processing RNAs or activated by RNAs, in cells infected by RNA viruses. The review focuses on how non-coding RNAs are involved in RNA virus replication, pathogenesis and host response, especially in retroviruses HIV, with examples of the mechanisms of action, transcriptional regulation, and promotion of increased stability of their targets or their degradation

The development of a model of information seeking behaviour of students in higher education when using internet search engines.

This thesis develops a model of Web information seeking behaviour of postgraduate students with a specific focus on Web search engines' use. It extends Marchionini's eight stage model of information seeking, geared towards electronic environments, to holistically encompass the physical, cognitive, affective and social dimensions of Web users' behaviour. The study recognises the uniqueness of the Web environment as a vehicle for information dissemination and retrieval, drawing on the distinction between information searching and information seeking and emphasises the importance of following user-centred holistic approaches to study information seeking behaviour. It reviews the research in the field and demonstrates that there is no comprehensive model that explains the behaviour of Web users when employing search engines for information retrieval. The methods followed to develop the study are explained with a detailed analysis of the four dimensions of information seeking (physical, cognitive affective, social). Emphasis is placed on the significance of combined methods (qualitative and quantitative) and the ways in which they can enrich the examination of human behaviour. This is concluded with a discussion of methodological issues. The study is supported by an empirical investigation, which examines the relationship between interactive information retrieval using Web search engines and human information seeking processes. This investigates the influence of cognitive elements (such as learning and problem style, and creative ability) and affective characteristics (e. g. confidence, loyalty, familiarity, ease of use), as well as the role that system experience, domain knowledge and demographics play in information seeking behaviour and in user overall satisfaction with the retrieval result. The influence of these factors is analysed by identifying users' patterns of behaviour and tactics, adopted to solve specific problems. The findings of the empirical study are incorporated into an enriched information-seeking model, encompassing use of search engines, which reveals a complex interplay between physical, cognitive, affective and social elements and that none of these characteristics can be seen in isolation when attempting to explain the complex phenomenon of information seeking behaviour. Although the model is presented in a linear fashion the dynamic, reiterative and circular character of the information seeking process is explained through an emphasis on transition patterns between the different stages. The research concludes with a discussion of problems encountered by Web information seekers which provides detailed analysis of the reasons why users express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the results of Web searching, areas in which Web search engines can be improved and issues related to the need for students to be given additional training and support are identified. These include planning and organising information, recognising different dimensions of information intents and needs, emphasising the importance of variety in Web information seeking, promoting effective formulation of queries and ranking, reducing overload of information and assisting effective selection of Web sites and critical examination of results

Designing Search User Interfaces for Visually Impaired Searchers: A User-centred Approach

PhDThe Web has been a blessing for visually impaired users as with the help of assistive technologies such as screen readers, they can access previously inaccessible information independently. However, for screen reader users, web-based information seeking can still be challenging as web pages are mainly designed for visual interaction. This affects visually impaired users’ perception of theWeb as an information space as well as their experience of search interfaces. The aim of this thesis is therefore to consider visually impaired users’ information seeking behaviour, abilities and interactions via screen readers in the design of a search interface to support complex information seeking. We first conduct a review of how visually impaired users navigate the Web using screen readers. We highlight the strategies employed, the challenges encountered and the solutions to enhance web navigation through screen readers. We then investigate the information seeking behaviour of visually impaired users on the Web through an observational study and we compare this behaviour to that of sighted users to examine the impact of screen reader interaction on the information seeking process. To engage visually impaired users in the design process, we propose and evaluate a novel participatory approach based on a narrative scenario and a dialogue-led interaction to verify user requirements and to brainstorm design ideas. The development of the search interface is informed by the requirements gathered from the observational study and is supported through the inclusion of visually impaired users in the design process. We implement and evaluate the proposed search interface with novel features to support visually impaired users for complex information seeking. This thesis shows that considerations for information seeking behaviour and users’ abilities and mode of interaction contribute significantly to the design of search user interfaces to ensure that interface components are accessible as well as usable