SenseMaker: An InformationExploration Interface Supporting the Contextual Evolution of a Users Inter

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SenseMaker An Information-Exploration Interface
Supporting the Contextual Evolution of a Users
Interests
SenseMaker An Information-Exploration Interface
Supporting the Contextual Evolution of a Users
Interests

• Michelle Q Wang Baldonado and Terry
  WinogradComputer Science DepartmentStanford
  University
• (CHI 97)

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Introduction

• Propose an Interface design for information
  exploration
• Example A user needs to write a term paper for a
  class on Greek art. He will consider his task
  successfully completed if he can find a good
  topic and a collection of resources on that
  topic.
• Users look for new information within a defined
  conceptual area
• Graphical user interface, design of icons for the
  Star interface
• Three characteristics of information exploration
• Accumulating a collection of references helps the
  user to accomplish the end goal of discovering
  new information.
• Users often need to consult multiple,
  heterogeneous sources.
• The evolution of a users interests depends upon
  the changing characteristics of the information
  context

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Information Context

• Importance of information context to information
  exploration
• Each new piece of information users encounter
  gives them new ideas and directions to follow
  and, consequently, a new conception of the query.
• From search session to search session, searchers
  used data from their present situation to
  determine where to go next
• People move from one information patch to another
• Approximate a users information context by
  current collection of references (?? return ???)
• Model or approximate information context so that
  users can
• examine the current context
• progress from one context to the next

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SenseMaker Usage Scenario (I)

• Initial Search
• Search query and maximum waiting time
• Query for Java interface
• Viewing the collection
• Unified view results with identical URL values
  are bundled together
• URL-based View (Figure 1)
• Expand the collection
• More results that both satisfy the original query
  and having URLs from sun.com and javasoft.com
  (Figure 2)
• Query-By-Example ?Can search from more
  information sources
• Duplicate Detection delete identical titles
  (Figure 3)

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SenseMaker Usage Scenario (II)

• Limiting the Collection ????????Criterion???
• Viewing the Collection Bundle together results
  with similar title values (title-based view)
• Expanding the collection again
• New keyword query Java security
• Old and new search results are shown together

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SenseMaker Snapshot (I)
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SenseMaker Snapshot (II)
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Evolution of Interests

• Information explorers move from one area of
  interest to another based upon what they find
  along the way.
• The current information context, approximated in
  this case by the current collection of
  information references, plays a large role in
  determining what the user will do next.
• Developing an understanding of the current
  context is not simple.

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Examining the Information Context

• Search??Return?????????Better Overview
• Enabling users to get better overviews of their
  accumulated references is one of the SenseMaker
  design goals.
• Sensemaker Approach
• Bundling and merging identical results
• View Types dimensions of URL, author, subject,
  title
• Should be flexible (according to user needs and
  search services)
• Bundling bundling criteria depend on view types
• URL Type bundling
• Geographic location bundling
• Duplicate Detection Should be flexible

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Progressing from One Information Context to the
Next (I)

• Expand actions
• Expand by issuing a query-by-example
• The results to be added to the collection must
  both satisfy the original query and share the
  defining characteristic of the example bundles
  (p4 ???)
• The results to be added to the collection are no
  longer required to satisfy the original query
  (?????????)
• ? RDBMSs QBE IRs Relevance Feedback???
• Expand by asking for related references
• Add results if they stand in a defined relation
  to the given examples
• Authors colleagues, similar topics, cited topics
• Expand by issuing a new or refined query
• Add to current set of results
• Suggest for refining like synonyms

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Progressing from One Information Context to the
Next (II)

• Expand actions
• Expand by enlarging the scope of the previous
  query
• Limit actions
• Limit by focusing on selections
• Limits the collection to the sun.com and
  javasoft.com bundles
• Limit by issuing a query over the current
  collection
• Limit a collection to just those results that are
  post-1995
• Replace actions the current collection is erased
  and a new collection is substituted in its place
• Issue a brand new query
• Variations on all of the expand action
  possibilities could be used as the means to
  produce a new collection (new results are not
  added to the old collection)

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Return to Previous Information Contexts
???Actions