Integrating information seeking and information structuring: spatial hypertext as an interface to the digital library.

Information seeking is the task of finding documents that satisfy the information needs of a person or organisation. Digital Libraries are one means of providing documents to meet the information needs of their users - i.e. as a resource to support information seeking. Therefore, research into the activity of information seeking is key to the development and understanding of digital libraries. Information structuring is the activity of organising documents found in the process of information seeking. Information structuring can be seen as either part of information seeking, or as a sepárate, complementary activity. It is a task performed by the seeker themselves and targeted by them to support their understanding and the management of later seeking activity. Though information structuring is an important task, it receives sparse support in current digital library Systems. Spatial hypertexts are computer software Systems that have been specifically been developed to support information structuring. However, they seldom are connected to Systems that support information seeking. Thus to day, the two inter-related activities of information seeking and information structuring have been supported by disjoint computer Systems. However, a variety of research strongly indicates that in physical environments, information seeking and information structuring are closely inter-related activities. Given this connection, this thesis explores whether a similar relationship can be found in electronic information seeking environments. However, given the absence of a software system that supports both activities well, there is an immédiate practical problem. In this thesis, I introduce an integrated information seeking and structuring System, called Garnet, that provides a spatial hypertext interface that also supports information seeking in a digital library. The opportunity of supporting information seeking by the artefacts of information structuring is explored in the Garnet system, drawing on the benefits previously found in supporting one information seeking activity with the artefacts of another. Garnet and its use are studied in a qualitative user study that results in the comparison of user behaviour in a combined electronic environment with previous studies in physical environments. The response of participants to using Garnet is reported, particularly regarding their perceptions of the combined system and the quality of the interaction. Finally, the potential value of the artefacts of information structuring to support information seeking is also evaluated

User interactions with results summaries (position paper)

This position paper on web information seeking and interaction draws on information seeking models to broadly describe the searcher's interactions and the functionality of the retrieved results page as supporting a process of concept forming. Viewing search as developing an information need enhances the supporting function of the presentation of the search results, beyond the more traditional function of relevance spotting. User guides to investigate the effectiveness of novel interfaces supporting search are essential, but there is a need for basic research into the nature of search and its relation, specifically, with results presentation

User requirement elicitation for cross-language information retrieval

Who are the users of a cross-language retrieval system? Under what circumstances do they need to perform such multi-language searches? How will the task and the context of use affect successful interaction with the system? Answers to these questions were explored in a user study performed as part of the design stages of Clarity, a EU founded project on cross-language information retrieval. The findings resulted in a rethink of the planned user interface and a consequent expansion of the set of services offered. This paper reports on the methodology and techniques used for the elicitation of user requirements as well as how these were in turn transformed into new design solutions

The effectiveness of the implementation process of distance learning program at two HBCUS: a comparative study, 2003

This study investigated the effectiveness of the implementation process of the distance learning program at two historically black universities. The qualitative comparative study examined different factors such as decision makers, funding (infrastructure, training, personnel, program sustainability), instructional model, and instructional development that were involved in the implementation process of a distance learning program at one private and one public historically black university. The research design selected for this study was a qualitative, descriptive design to investigate the factors involved in the implementation process of two historically black colleges and universities. In this study, factors such as decision makers, funding, instructional model, and instructional development were examined. The data were gathered through interview process and questionnaires. Both directors of the distance learning program were interviewed; questionnaires were given to the distance learning instructors at both institutions, and questionnaires were given to the distance learners at both institutions. The conclusions drawn from the findings suggest that even though all the factors were present, some factors were implemented less effectively. Some factors such as organizational structure, assessment, and evaluation process were implemented less effectively. Funding did not play a major role in the differences in the implementation process of the distance learning program between the public and private HBCUs

Observing Users - Designing clarity a case study on the user-centred design of a cross-language information retrieval system

This paper presents a case study of the development of an interface to a novel and complex form of document retrieval: searching for texts written in foreign languages based on native language queries. Although the underlying technology for achieving such a search is relatively well understood, the appropriate interface design is not. A study involving users (with such searching needs) from the start of the design process is described covering initial examination of user needs and tasks; preliminary design and testing of interface components; building, testing, and further refining an interface; before finally conducting usability tests of the system. Lessons are learned at every stage of the process leading to a much more informed view of how such an interface should be built

Folder-based graphical interface to an information retrieval system

Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (p. 107-109).by Aidan Low.M.Eng