AN INTERACTIVE INFORMATION SEEKING INTERFACE FOR EXPLORATORY SEARCH

Abstract: As the Web has become a commodity, it is used for a variety of purposes and tasks that may require a great deal of cognitive efforts. However, most search engines developed for the Web provide users with only searching and browsing capabilities, leaving all the burdens of manipulating information objects to the users. In this paper, we focus on an exploratory search task and propose a framework for human-Web interactions. Based on the framework, we designed and implemented a new information seeking interface that helps users reduce cognitive burdens. The new human-Web interface provides a personal workspace that can be created and manipulated cooperatively with the system, which helps users conceptualize their information seeking tasks and record their trails for future uses. This interaction tool has been tested for its efficacy as an aid for an exploratory search.