Jan 21 Information Behavior

Housekeeping ?? Quiz 1: This Friday, 1/23 ?? Assignment 1: Due Next Wednesday, 1/28 ?? 1 st Group Presentation (Group 3/Taylor): Next Friday, 1/30 Donald Case Looking for Information Karen Fisher Information Grounds Mike Eisenberg Information Problem-Solving Information Behavior Goals of this Lecture ?? To understand what we mean by the study of information behavior. ?? To be able to analyze and describe information situations using Case?s information behavior variables. ?? To understand and use Fisher?s concept of ?information grounds.? ?? To be able to make recommendations for improving user information experiences (in terms of performance and satisfaction) based on information behavior analysis. What is the #1 source of information that people seek out? Why? Information Seeking Active ?? Decision-making ?? Buying a car ?? Task completion ?? Creating a website ?? Broad background ?? Environmental scanning Passive ?? Information encountering Some Key Terms ?? Users ?? Information need ?? Information seeking ?? Information behavior ?? Cognition ?? Behavior ?? Development ?? Design & Development ?? Evaluation Donald Case Case ? The User Perspective Case Information Behavior Variables 1.? Seeker 2.? Situation 3.? Main Motivation 4.? Sources of Information 5.? Time Pressure 6.? Degree of Thoroughness From Case, Table 2.3 Example Setting: 1.? Seeker 2. Situation 3. Motivation 4. Sources of information 5. Time pressure 6. Degree of Thoroughness Dervin (in Case) 10 Myths 1.? Only objective information is valuable. 2.? More information is better. 3.? Objective information can be transmitted out of context. 4.? Information can only be acquired through formal sources. 5.? There is relevant information for every need. 6.? Every need has a solution 7.? It is always possible to make information available or accessible. 8.? Functional units of information (books, tv) always fit the needs of individuals. 9.? Time and space ? individual situations ? can be ignored in addressing information seeking and use. 10.? People make easy, conflict free connections between external information and their internal reality. Dervin ?? Sensemaking ?? Champion of the user ?? Information ?gap? ? users seek to resolve gaps in their knowledge. ?? Question: ?Is the user always right?? Can a system (or an intermediary) ever know what the user needs better than the user does?? Fisher ? Information Grounds Fisher (formerly Pettigrew) ?? Information behavior in everyday contexts ?? Information grounds ?? What are some common information settings? ?? Where do you go to seek information? ?? What search systems do you use? ?? What is your source of first and last resort? ?? Checklists ?? Information Behavior Observation Checklist ?? Information Grounds Interview/Survey Instrument Fisher - Trichotomy of Variables The Big6 Model of Information Problem-Solving Eisenberg Using the Big6 to Describe Information Behavior ?? Task Definition ?? Information Seeking Strategies ?? Location and Access ?? Use of Information ?? Synthesis ?? Evaluation Summary Information Behavior Variables ?? People ?? Situations ?? Place/Setting ?? Objects of interest ?? Motivation ?? Seeker and Situation ?? Thoroughness ?? Defining Actions ?? Seeking Actions ?? Using Actions ?? Sharing Actions ?? Systems ?? Information ?? Sources ?? Time frame/pressure ?? Completeness Summary Points ?? Study of information behavior involves ?? Situation ?? People ?? Information ?? User information behavior is more complex than it might initially seem. ?? People seek out ?information grounds? even though their purpose in participating is not primarily information- focused. ?? Information behavior can be analyzed through a series of identified variables. © Eisenberg 2008 Elisabeth Jones