Towards task models for embedded information retrieval

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates to what extent task-oriented user support based on plan recognition is feasible in a highly situation-driven domain like information retrieval (IR) and discusses requirements for appropriate task models. It argues that information seeking tasks which are embedded in some higher-level external task context (e.g. travel planning) often exhibit procedural dependences; that these dependences are mainly due to external task; and that they can be exploited for inferring the users' goals and plans. While there is a clear need for task models in IR to account for situational determinants of user behaviour, what is required are hybrid models that take account of both is “planned” and “situated” aspects. Empirical evidence for the points made is reported from a probabilistic analysis of retrieval sessions with a fact database and from experience with plan-based and state-based methods for user support in an experimental travel planning system

REFERENCES

• 1: Bates, M.J. (1979). Information search tactics. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Vol. 30, pp. 205-214.
• 2: Stuart K. Card , Allen Newell , Thomas P. Moran, The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Mahwah, NJ, 1983
• 3: Desmarais, M.C., Larochelle, S., & Giroux, L. (1987). The diagnosis of user strategies. Proceedings of the 2nd IFIP Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Stuttgart (FRG), August 1987, pp. 185-189.
• 4: Michel Desmarais , Luc Giroux , Serge Larochelle, Plan recognition in HCI: the parsing of user actions, Selected papers of the 8th Interdisciplinary Workshop on Informatics and Psychology: Mental Models and Human-Computer Interaction 2, p.291-311, June 01, 1989
• 5: Fidel, R. (1985). Moves in online searching. Online Review, Vol. 9, pp. 61-74.
• 6: Gerhard Fischer , Andreas Lemke , Thomas Schwab, Knowledge-based help systems, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.161-167, April 1985, San Francisco, California, United States
• 7: Gerhard Fischer , Andreas C. Lemke , Thomas Mastaglio , Anders I. Morch, Using critics to empower users, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Empowering people, p.337-347, April 01-05, 1990, Seattle, Washington, United States [doi>10.1145/97243.97305]
• 8: Frederiksen,N., Glaser, R.,Lesgold, A., & Shafto, M.G. (Eds.) (1990). Diagnostic Monitoring of Skill and Knowledge Acquisition. I-/illsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• 9: Green, T.R.G., Schiele, F., & Payne, S.J. (1988). Formalisable models of user knowledge in Human-Computer Interaction. In: van der Veer, G., Green, T.R.G., Hoc, j.-M., & Murray, D. (Eds.). Working with Computers: Theory versus Outcome. London: Academic Press.
• 10: Hecking, M. (1987). How to use plan recognition in order to improve the abilities of the intelligent help system SINIX Consultant. Proceedings of the 2nd IFIP Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Stuttgart (FRG), August 1987, pp. 657-662.
• 11: H. U. Hoppe, Task-oriented parsing - a diagnostic method to be used adaptive systems, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.241-247, May 15-19, 1988, Washington, D.C., United States [doi>10.1145/57167.57208]
• 12: G. Zinßmeister, EXPRESS: an experimental interface for factual information retrieval, Proceedings of the 13th annual international ACM SIGIR conference on Research and development in information retrieval, p.63-81, September 05-07, 1990, Brussels, Belgium [doi>10.1145/96749.98009]
• 13: Andrew Howes , Stephen J. Payne, Display-based competence: towards user models for menu-driven interfaces, International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, v.33 n.6, p.637-655, Dec. 1990 [doi>10.1016/S0020-7373(05)80067-7]
• 14: Henry A. Kautz, A formal theory of plan recognition and its implementation, Reasoning about plans, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., San Francisco, CA, 1991
• 15: Kieras, D.E: & Poison, P.G. (1985). An approach to the formal analysis of user complexity. Int. J. Man-Machine Studies, Vol. 22, pp. 365-394.
• 16: Alfred Kobsa , Wolfgang Wahlster, User models in dialog systems, Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., New York, NY, 1990
• 17: Larkin, J.H. (1989). Display-based problem solving. In: Klahr, D. & Kotovsky, K. (Eds.). Complex Information Processing. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum. pp. 319-341.
• 18: G. McAlpine , P. Ingwersen, Integrated information retrieval in a knowledge worker support system, Proceedings of the 12th annual international ACM SIGIR conference on Research and development in information retrieval, p.48-57, June 25-28, 1989, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
• 19: J. McKendree , J. Zaback, Planning for advising, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.179-184, May 15-19, 1988, Washington, D.C., United States [doi>10.1145/57167.57197]
• 20: Newell, A. (1980). Reasoning, problem solving, and decision processes: The problem space as a fundamental category. In: R. Nickerson (Ed.). Attention and Performance VIII. Hillsdale, NJ.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• 21: Payne, S.J. & Green, T.R.G. (1986). Task-action grammars: a model of the mental representation of task languages. Human-Computer Interaction, Vol. 2, pp. 93-133.
• 22: Poison, P.G. & Lewis, C. (1990). Theory-based design for easily learned interfaces. Human-Computer Interaction, Vol. 5, pp. 191-220.
• 23: Franz Schiele , H. Ulrich Hoppe, Inferring task structures from interaction protocols, Proceedings of the IFIP TC13 Third Interational Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, p.567-572, August 27-31, 1990
• 24: Herbert A. Simon, The sciences of the artificial (3rd ed.), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1996
• 25: Suchman, L. (1987): Plans and Situated Actions. Cambridge (MA): Cambridge University Press.
• 26: Vilain, M (1990). Getting serious about parsing plans: a grammatical analysis of plan recognition. Proceedings of the 8th National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, July 1990, Cambridge (MA), pp. 190-197.
• 27: Zloof, M.M. (1983). The Query-by-Example concept for user-oriented business systems. In: Sime, M.E. & Coombs, M.J. (Eds.). Designing for Human-Computer Communication. London: Academic Press.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.0 General
          Subjects: Cognitive simulation

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.3 INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.8 Problem Solving, Control Methods, and Search
          Subjects: Plan execution, formation, and generation

General Terms:
Algorithms, Human Factors, Theory

Keywords:
information retrieval, plan recognition, planned vs. situated action, task models