Collaborating to Search Effectively in Different Searcher Modes Through Cues and Specialty Search

Abstract

Searchers generally have difficulty searching into knowledge repositories because of the quantity of data involved and because searcher mechanisms are not tailored to their differing needs at different points in time. Also, every searcher generally searches alone without taking into account other users with similar search needs or experience. While the Internet may have contributed to information overload, the connectivity it has provides the potential to different searchers to collaborate when looking for information. In this chapter, we 1) review concepts related to social information retrieval and existing collaborative mechanisms 2) discuss two collaborative mechanisms – cues and specialty search and 3) see cues and specialty search in the context of the changing needs of a searcher in one of four modes. A case study of an online portal for the Singapore education community is used to show how collaboration could enhance learning and search efficacy.