4 Personalization Systems and Processes Review based on a Predetermined User Interface Categorization

The plethora of information and services as well as the complicated nature of most Web structures intensify the navigational difficulties that arise when users navigate their way through this large information space. Personalised services that are highly sensitive to the immediate environment and the goals of the user can alleviate the orientation difficulties experienced by the relatively diverse user population. Personalization is the process of customizing a Web site to users ’ specific requirements using the knowledge acquired from the analysis of users ’ navigational behaviour in correlation with other information collected in the Web context as well as other related individual intellectual, mental, emotional and social- context elements. With the emer-gence of the wireless and mobile technologies, these needs have been extended to requi-rements for continuous interaction in the “anytime, anywhere and anyhow ” context. Since the personalization dimensions for both desktop and mobile users are relatively diverse and since a standard definition has not yet been developed, this paper will make an extensive review of the personalization considerations, categories and paradigms, comparing and contrasting processes and techniques in an attempt to establish a fra-mework that will act as the base for the formulation of a more concrete personaliza-tion definition, platform and device independent. 5INFORMACIÓ ON LINE 1