Task-based IR

Description

This line of research aims at integrating information seeking and retrieval research. The former has focused on social science approaches to information behavior of citizens and various types of professionals – but neglected information retrieval methods. The latter has focused on developing retrieval systems (methods, algorithms) without much attention on special requirements of various user populations, tasks or contexts. It provides general-purpose solutions but neglects their contexts and ways of use. The results of current IR research do not really support the design of practical IR environments for supporting the tasks and cooperation of professionals. However, digitalization makes communication computer mediated and information system dependent – it turns much of non-computerized information seeking into IR. Therefore it is necessary to integrate the two research areas into a new theoretical and methodological entity. Otherwise we are running in the risk of developing excellent systems for non-existing needs or sub-optimal systems for existing needs.

The research monograph “The Turn: Integration of Information Seeking and Retrieval in Context” on this topic by Prof. Peter Ingwersen (Denmark) and Prof. Kal Järvelin builds a theoretical framework and research agenda of integrated information seeking and retrieval research.

In the present project, in the long run, the goal is to develop theories of IS&R, which allow deducing required features of IR systems and environments on the basis of task requirements and work processes. This means moving from systems-centered to task-centered approaches. Research problems for the project include: the effect of task structures on seeking and retrieval processes in concrete professional settings; personalized task support by IR through task-based ontologies; the development of relevance criteria in concrete professional settings. A professional’s task perspective integrates methods in concept-based multi-lingual retrieval, and document structuring/data mining.

Duration

2000 - 2009

Researchers

Mr. Preben Hansen – supervisor Prof. Kalervo Järvelin

Mr. Sanna Kumpulainen – supervisor Prof. Kalervo Järvelin
Prof. Kalervo Järvelin
Associated fellows: Prof. Pertti Vakkari; Prof. Peter Ingwersen (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Publications

1. Ingwersen, P. & Järvelin, K. (2005). The Turn: Integration of Information Seeking and Retrieval in Context. Heidelberg: Springer. ISBN 1-4020-3850-X
2. Järvelin, K. & Ingwersen, P. (2004). Information Seeking Research Needs Extension toward Tasks and Technology Information Research, 10(1) paper 212 [Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/10-1/paper212.html]
3. Hansen, P. & Järvelin, K. (2004). Collaborative Information Searching in an Information-Intensive Work Domain: Preliminary Results. Journal of Digital Information Management, 2(1), 26-29.
4. Vakkari, P. & Järvelin, K. (2005). Explanation in Information Seeking and Retrieval. In: Spink, A. & Cole, C. (ed.), New Directions in Cognitive Information Retrieval. Berlin: Springer, The Information Retrieval Series, Vol.19, pp. 113-138. ISBN: 1-4020-4013-X.
5. Pharo, N. & Järvelin, K. (2005). Search situation and transitions. In: Wang, J. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Data Warehousing and Mining. London, UK: Idea Group, pp 1000-1004.
6. Järvelin, K. (2005). Information retrieval in contexts. In: Larsen, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the ACM SIGIR 2005 Workshop on Information Retrieval in Context (IRiX), Salvador Brazil, August 19, 2005. Copenhagen: Royal School of Library and Information Science, pp. 10-13.

Relevant Links

The project PatIR – Task-based IR in the Patent Domain.

The project MolMedIA – Information Access in Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology.

Updated 12.03.2008 Responsibility for updating: KJ