User Interfaces of Information Resources (Visualization)

READING ASSIGNMENT:  1.) User Interfaces of Information Resources.

TITLE OF THE ARTICLE(S): “Evaluating User Interfaces to Information Retrieval Systems:

A Case Study on User Support”

AUTHOR (S):  Brajnik, G., Mizzaro, S., Tasso, C.

PUBLISHER(S):  Copyright 1996 by the Association for Computing Machinery,Inc. (ACM)

URL:  -

Abstract of the article(s): (1-2 paragraph/s):

A User Interface to an IR System is a front-end program which interacts with the user and controls an underlying information retrieval system accessing information resources. Its main goal is to empower the user with the capability to operate effectively without the need of behavior and user situation (e.g. suggesting a synonymous term of a term just added to the query by the user) then it is contextual.

It is generic if it refers to general aspects or guidelines (e.g. suggesting that reducing the number of AND-ed concepts is a way to enlarge the number of retrieved items).

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

1. Users have interactions with Information Resource Systems.

2.  User’s behavior does not affect the interfaces.

3.  The use of AND search term might be a useful source of generating more items.

Application/Implication of the new things I learned to my work/to me as a person:

Information Resource system as a front-end program does not work in isolation.  It is an aid to user to enable him retrieve and access information resources proficiently.  Having a thorough insight of its application and interfaces the user will benefit in information surfing and dissemination.