Information world mapping: A participatory arts-based elicitation method for information behavior interviews

Abstract

Participatory, arts-based methods generate rich data with which researchers can explore information behavior in context, and may be particularly apt when engaging with youth or participants with low literacy levels. Information world mapping (IWM) is an innovative and interactive drawing-based interview technique for data elicitation. Initially developed for use in a study of young parents' health information practices, IWM guides participants in depicting their personal social information worlds, including items, places, and relationships. Maps are then used to facilitate critical incident elicitation from participants' stories about, and interpretations of, their information practices. Within the young parent study, three styles of map were commonly seen: the directional map, the mind map, and the symbolic map. Use of IWM requires time and ethical care, but the method enables researchers to center participants' own perspectives on information practices, triangulate data obtained via more traditional methods, and enrich understanding of social information worlds.

How do students' information world maps change while developing their thesis topics? A longitudinal study using arts‐based elicitation interviews

“…Finally, they were asked to describe and explain the IWM to clarify things that may also covered earlier in the conversation. The researcher followed the procedure of D. L. Greyson (), D. Greyson et al () and provided a think‐aloud option, but none of the participants chose to do so.…”

“…While Kuhlthau's () information search process (ISP) is important and can help identify students in different stages developing their project, the current study aims to capture what shapes students' information world throughout this process rather than focusing on the affective, cognitive, and physical aspects of information behavior. Based on Sonnenwald (), D. L. Greyson (), D. Greyson et al () proposed the information world mapping (IWM). It is an arts‐based visual elicitation method to depict a wide range of information activities, behaviors, and practices of an individual, as well as the items, places, and relationships involved in the contexts.…”

“…Although IWMs empirical studies have been mostly used in health information seeking contexts or with vulnerable populations (e.g., Dalmer, ; D. Greyson et al, ; Shankar et al, ), IWM is an innovative technique to be applied to other contexts. Drawing upon the framework of IWM, the current study used this visual elicitation interview technique to conduct a longitudinal study in academic contexts.…”

“…Although IWMs empirical studies have been mostly used in health information seeking contexts or with vulnerable populations (e.g., Dalmer, 2017;D. Greyson et al, 2017;Shankar et al, 2016), IWM is an innovative technique to be applied to other contexts.…”

(How) should information world maps be visually analyzed?

“…Information world mapping (IWM) is a participatory drawing activity intended for use in qualitative interviews about information behaviours and practices (Greyson, O'Brien, & Shoveller, 2017). Combining elements of Photovoice (Wang & Burris, 1997), information horizons (Sonnenwald et al, 2001), and relational mapping (Radford & Neke, 2000), IWM prompts participants to depict their social information worlds from their own perspective.…”