Investigation of information encountering in the controlled research environment

Erdelez, Sanda

doi:10.1016/j.ipm.2004.02.002

Cited by 161 publications

(213 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…This study highlights the tendency of an information seeker to focus on one problem at a time [5,6]. Many participants appeared unwilling to give up the reins of the search, underlining McBirnie's [11] suggestion of the paradox of control where the potential for novel, useful information is sacrificed for the sake of the efficiency of the information search.…”

Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…Our participants expressed elements of Toms' [17] Digital Browsing Instant, Erdelez's [5] five typical information encountering elements, and McFarlane and Latorella's interruption management stage model [12]. Interestingly, while many commented on the Suggested Pages' value in providing other connections, very few used the tool for branching out into other topics which may have been due to the primary experimental scenario in which they were immersed.…”

Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Twidale and colleagues [22] found that spurious results were perceived as serendipitous, offering potential opportunities for new directions. Erdelez [5] found in preliminary studies that it is possible to trigger information encountering episodes by embedding information known to relate to a participant's secondary information needs in a list of search results.…”

Section: Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One generally does not seek serendipity; it occurs usually in the process of some other activity. Erdelez [5] proposed that a typical information encountering (IE) episode consists of some or all of the following elements: Noticing, Stopping, Examining, Capturing, and Returning. While some information seekers may simply perceive (Notice) encountered information, perception may develop into an interruption of the original information seeking task (Stopping), followed by evaluation (Examining) and mining (Capturing) of the encountered information, and finally Returning to the original task.…”

Section: Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Chance Encounters in the Digital Library

Toms

McCay‐Peet

2009

Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries

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Abstract. While many digital libraries focus on supporting defined tasks that require targeted searching, there is potential for enabling serendipitous discovery that can serve multiple purposes from aiding with the targeted search to suggesting new approaches, methods and ideas. In this research we embedded a tool in a novel interface to suggest other pages to examine in order to assess how that tool might be used while doing focused searching. While only 40% of the participants used the tool, all assessed its usefulness or perceived usefulness. Most participants used it as a source of new terms and concepts to support their current tasks; a few noted the novelty and perceived its potential value in serving as a stimulant.

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Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Chance Encounters in the Digital Library

Toms

McCay‐Peet

2009

Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries

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“…Per Erdelez (2004), this five-stage model is intended as a representation of a typical complete episode, but not all stages need occur in any individual episode. Her efforts to induce information encountering in a controlled research environment demonstrated that many episodes are incomplete -a user may not notice encountered information, may elect not to stop and examine it, may never return to the initial foreground problem, etc.…”

Section: Stages Of Geospatial Information Encounteringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geospatial encountering: Opportunistic information discovery in web-based GIS environments

Smith

2011

Proc. Am. Soc. Info. Sci. Tech.

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Web-based geographical information systems have become ubiquitous in daily life. They include such familiar tools as Google Earth, Google Maps, and a plethora of geolocational mobile applications for smart phones. These geospatial web systems present new opportunities for users to discover information opportunistically, in unexpected and non-intentional ways. This paper examines one specific type of incidental information acquisition -information encountering (Erdelez, 1997) -as it may occur in geospatial web environments. Accordingly, this preliminary research brings together findings and frameworks developed within two diverse fields: a) human information behavior, and b) geographic information systems.The Information Encountering model serves as a conceptual framework for understanding how the distinctive characteristics of geospatial web applications impact the nature of information encountering episodes. Exploratory research was conducted via a focus group session. Users were found to engage regularly with a variety of geolocational systems and report frequent episodes of information encountering, but they also display difficulty recalling details of individual episodes. Findings suggest the need to develop tools to capture information encountering experiences in the field, at or close to the time they occur. KeywordsInformation encountering, geographic information systems, human information behavior, mobile applications.

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Information for inspiration: Understanding architects' information seeking and use behaviors to inform design

Makri

Warwick

2010

J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci.

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Architectural design projects are heavily reliant on electronic information seeking. However, there have been few studies on how architects look for and use information on the Web. We examined the electronic information behavior of 9 postgraduate architectural design and urban design students. We observed them undertake a selfchosen, naturalistic information task related to one of their design projects and found that although the architectural students performed many similar interactive information behaviors to academics and practitioners in other disciplines, they also performed behaviors reflective of the nature of their domain. The included exploring and encountering information (in addition to searching and browsing for it) and visualizing/appropriating information.The observations also highlighted the importance of information use behaviors (such as editing and recording) and communication behaviors (such as sharing and distributing) as well as the importance of multimedia materials, particularly images, for architectural design projects. A key overarching theme was that inspiration was found to be both an important driver for and potential outcome of information work in the architecture domain, suggesting the need to design electronic information tools for architects that encourage and foster creativity. We make suggestions for the design of such tools based on our findings. IntroductionInformation is of great importance when planning, designing and reviewing the construction of buildings or other structures. Indeed, Shaaban et al. (2001) highlight that "information is a critical element for architects to accomplish their tasks" (p. 43), with the architect's role being "to Received December 14, 2009; revised February 16, 2010; accepted February 16, 2010 © 2010 ASIS&T • Published online 19 July 2010 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/asi.21338 manipulate this information to reproduce it in a meaningful form, which are often described as designs" (p. 43). Despite the importance of information for architectural design, there has been relatively little research on how architects look for, interpret, and use information in the context of their design projects. There has been even less research aimed at supporting architects in conducting their information-related activities (whether by informing the design of electronic tools to support this work or through the design and delivery of information-related training).As a step towards addressing these gaps in research, we conducted naturalistic observations of nine postgraduate architectural design and urban design master of architecture (MArch) students-observing the students undertake a self-chosen, naturalistic information task that was related to one of their current or recent design projects. The aim of these observations was to gain a detailed understanding of the information behavior displayed by the architectural students, encompassing how they not only find information but also interpret and use this information as part o...

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Investigation of information encountering in the controlled research environment

Cited by 161 publications

References 6 publications

Chance Encounters in the Digital Library

Chance Encounters in the Digital Library

Geospatial encountering: Opportunistic information discovery in web-based GIS environments

Information for inspiration: Understanding architects' information seeking and use behaviors to inform design

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