Interaction in
information retrieval
There is MUCH more to
searching than knowing
computers, networks &
commands, as there is
more to writing than
knowing word processing
packages
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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IR as interaction

If USER & USE central:
Interaction is a dominant feature of
contemporary IR

Interaction has many facets:
 with
systems, technology
 with texts viewed/retrieved
 intermediaries with people

Several interactive IR models


none as widely accepted as
traditional IR model
Broader area: human-computer
interaction (HCI) studies
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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HCI: broader concepts
“Any interaction takes place
through one or more interfaces
& involves two or more
participants who each have
one or more purposes for the
interaction”
Storrs, 1994
Participants: people & artifacts ‘computer’ (everything in it)
 Interface: a common boundary
 Issue: identification of
important aspects, roles of each

© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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HCI … definitions
“Interaction is the exchange of
information between
participants where each has the
purpose of using the exchange
to change the state of itself or of
one or more of others”
“An interaction is a dialogue
for the purpose of
modifying the state of one
or more participants”
 Key concepts:
exchange, change
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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IR interaction is ...
“... the interactive communication
processes that occur during the
retrieval of information by
involving all the major
participants in IR, i.e. the user,
the intermediary, and the IR
system.”
Ingwersen, 1992
 Involved:
users
intermediaries
(possibly)
everything in IR system
communication processes exchange of information
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
5
Central questions

What variables are involved?
 models

give lists
How do they affect the process?
How to control?
 experiments,
experience,
observation give answers

Do given interventions or
communications improve or
degrade the process?
 e.g.
searcher’s (intermediaries
or end-users) actions

Can systems be designed so that
searcher’s intervention
improves performance?
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Interactive IR models

Several models proposed
 none
as widely accepted as the
traditional IR model

They all try to incorporate
objects (“texts”):
 IR system & setting
 interface
 intermediary, if present
 user’s characteristics
 information
 cognitive
aspects; task; problem;
interest; goal; preferences ...
 social
environment
 variety of processes between them
all.
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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User modeling

Identifying elements about a user
that impact interaction, searching,
types of retrieval …:
 who
is the user (e.g. education)
 what is the problem, task at hand
 what is the need; question
 how much s/he knows about it
 what will be used for
 how much wanted, how fast
 what environment is involved

Much more than just a question
 Related
to reference interview
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Stratified model - start:
A-C-A model of inf. use
Assumption: Users interact with IR
systems to use information
 A-C-A model components:

 Acquisition:
getting information
 Cognition: absorbing information
 Application: using absorbed
information
Could be re-iterative
 Each involves

 different


aspects, elements
interplays between them
Basis for interaction model
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Stratified model
Interaction: sequence of
processes/episodes occurring in
several levels or strata
= INTREPLAY between levels
 Structure:

 Several
User levels
 Produce a Query - has characteristics
 Several ‘Computer’ levels
 They all meet on the Surface level
 Dialogue enabled by Interface
 user
utterances
 computer ‘utterances’
Adaptation/changes in all
 Geared toward Information use

© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Elements in the stratified
model of IR interaction
Situational
tasks...
Affective
intent..
Cognitive
knowledge
structure ...
Query
characteristics
Surface level
INTERFACE
Engineering
hardware, capacities...
Processing
software, algorithms...
Content
information resources - texts
representation ...
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Roles of levels or strata

Defining of what’s involved
 whassup?

Help in recognition/separation of
differing variables
 each
strata or level involves
different elements, roles, &
processes

Observation of interaction
between strata - complex
dynamics
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Interplay between levels

Interplay on user side:
 Cognitive:
between cognitive structures o
texts & users
 Affective: between intentions & other
 Situational: between texts & tasks
Similar interplay on computer side
 Surface:

 searching,
navigation, browsing, display
visualization, query characterization

Interplay judgments in searching:
 evaluation
of results - relevance
 Changing of models: situation, need ...
 selection of search terms
 resulting modifications - feedback
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Intermediaries - YOU

Intermediaries could participate
as an additional interface many roles:
 diagnostic
help in problem, query
formulation
 system interface handling
 selection, interpretation &
manipulation of inf. resources
 interpretation of results
 education of users
 enablers of end-users
Basic role: optimizing results
 Act in processes at different
levels

© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Implications
Interaction central to IR including in
searching of the Web
 We see it on the surface level



But result of MANY variables,
levels & their interplay
IR interaction requires knowledge
of these levels & interplays
 many
users have difficulties
 so do many professionals
Design of interfaces for interaction
still lacking
 People compensate in many ways
including trial & error, failures

© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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What happens in
searching?

Highly reiterative process
 back
& forth between user
modeling & (re)formulating
search strategy
 goes on & on in many feedback
loops, twists & turns, shifts

Search strategy (the big picture)
 selection/reselection
of sources
 stating a query (search
statement) from a question

terms, their expansions, logic,
qualifications, limitations
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Searching … (cont.)

Search tactics (action steps)
 what
to do first, next
 e.g. from broad to narrow
searches
 format of results

Evaluation of results
 as
to magnitude - how much?
 as to relevance - how well?
 feedback to change after that
 user
model - e.g. question
 strategy - e.g. files, query
 tactics - e.g. narrowing, broadening
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Berry-picking model of a
search & searcher (Bates)

“…moving through many actions
towards a general goal of
satisfactory completion of research
related to information need.”
 query is shifting (continually)
 searcher (user) may move through
a variety of sources
 new information may provide new
ideas, new directions
 question is not satisfied by a single
set of answers, but by a series of
selections & bits of information
found along the way
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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Implications (Shuman)
Prepare carefully
 Understand your opponent 
 e.g.

Anticipate
 e.g.

Dialog, Lexis-Nexis
hidden meaning of terms
Have a contingency plan
 assessing
odds of success or
points of diminishing returns

Avoid ambiguity
 inherent

in language
Stay loose!
© Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University
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