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Supporting Sensemaking in Exploratory Information Seeking

 

Exploratory search usually starts with an ill-defined query that does not necessarily represent the information needs of the searcher, as most of the searchers usually do not pursue any explicit goal. However, there is definitely an implicit goal of learning and making sense of a topic or a knowledge domain, which keeps the searchers continuing their explorations. Therefore, exploratory information seeking can be considered as an effective learning activity, that the lack of support tools can transform it into a frustrating activity. For example, information seeking in an interdisciplinary research area is a challenge that new researchers are constantly facing which needs the appropriate support for being effective.

This research is concerned with the design and development of an exploratory information seeking support system. For supporting the implicit goal of learning in exploratory search, we have designed and implemented Explore-It, a web browser extension, which consists of an ExplorationPath and a tag cloud representing the evolution of user's interest along the exploration process. ExplorationPath is a visual representation of  the pathways traversed by the user which is constructed in a mixed initiative approach by the system and the user. This approach will help the user in better understanding the exploration process.The main goal of ExploreIt is supporting sensemaking of the exploratory search process. In order to achieve this goal, it has been designed to support some of the underlying processes involved in the sensemaking process such as reflection, organizing the mind, and externalization of the internal sensemaking representation.

In addition, the ExplorationPath can be a foundation for collaborative exploratory search by providing a medium for conveying the information need, which is embedded in the context, to other users for getting recommendations and advices which can enhance the sensemaking process.

 ExploreIt-snapshot

 

People:

 

  • Dr. Brian Fisher
  • Mona Haraty
  • Syavash Nobarany

Contact:

haraty <at> gmail <dot> com