Are expert users always better searchers? Interaction of expertise and semantic grouping in hypertext search tasks

Abstract

The facilitative effect of expertise in hypertext information retrieval (IR) tasks has been widely reported in related literature. However, recent theories of human expertise question the robustness of this result, since previous works have not fully considered the interaction between user and system characteristics. In this study, the constraint attunement hypothesis (CAH) is considered in order to predict that the effect of expertise in IR would appear only when the user and system characteristics can be combined successfully. Results from an experiment revealed that expert users outperformed novice users in IR when the elements of a system interface are organized semantically, but not when organized randomly. Results are discussed in the framework of the CAH supporting the interactive nature of human behaviour in HCI.

Analysis of Expert Readers in Three Disciplines

“…In this approach, expert performances are examined, often through observations and thinkaloud protocols, to identify the use of cognitive algorithms for solving problems or executing complex performance. The expert paradigm has been used in literacy to examine writing (Best, 1996;Crammond, 1998;Flowerdew, 2003;Hayes & Flower, 1986;Longo, 1994;Oatley & Djikic, 2008;Olive & Piolat, 2005;Ravid, & Zilberbuch, 2003;Roussey & Piolat, 2005;Stolarek, 1994), reading comprehension (Afflerbach, 1986;Garner, 1982;Gaultney, 1995;Graves, 2001;Johnston & Afflerbach, 1985), and computer reading and information use (Britt & Aglinskas, 2002;Salmeron, Canas, & Fajardo, 2005;Wen & Shih, 2008).…”

Making the law accessible to non-lawyers: effects of different kinds of expertise on perceived usability of online legal information services

“…None of them included any online help or training for non-lawyers on the structure of these legal documents. Salmero´n et al (2005) found that students with domain expertise (from attending scientific conferences) found information in less time and more efficiently only when the system was compatible with their expert mental grouping. When presented with a random menu they found it as hard as non-experts, thus supporting the CAH.…”

“…Salmero´n et al (2005) suggest that if the system is mainly dedicated to novice domain users, the effort of engaging an analysis of the user's mental model can be avoided. But that is not a practical course of action when attempting to retrieve information in a domain as complex as the law.…”

“…Drabenstott (2003) reviewed a number of user studies that have shown differences in information-seeking behaviour between subject domain experts and non-experts, and confirmed this in her own observations of non-experts. Salmero´n et al (2005) contrast two theories on how human expertise affects information retrieval. Cognitive flexibility theory (CFT) proposes that the expert can adapt his or her representation of a domain in order to better understand an ill-structured medium (Spiro et al 1988(Spiro et al , 1991.…”

Contextual memory and skill transfer in category search

“…Frankhuizen and Vrins (1980) reported optimal location of targets only 56% of the time, with participants accessing approximately twice the minimum number of menus required, and in a study by Whalen and Latremouille (1981), users completely failed to locate the target information 28% of the time. In general, better performance is associated with smaller set sizes and more distinct categories (Dumais & Landauer, 1984), transfer to new category exemplars is better with a larger number of trained exemplars (e.g., Homa & Vosburgh, 1976), and performance improves with increased practice on the task or with expertise in the search domain (e.g., Salmeron, Canas, & Fajardo, 2005).A complication that might impact performance, particularly on a menu-based category search task, is that category sets and category contents may be dynamic. That is, the set of categories used to partition the search space, as well as the items that constitute the search space, may change over time.…”