Noriko Kando

Connecting Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Web Search Process: Analysis Using Search Units

Our final goal is to understand exploratory searches as four levels of search processes: search task, intent unit, search unit, and link unit. To complete these objectives, we used qualitative data to categorize participants’ information needs for search units and quantitatively analyzed whether differences in the information needs of search units influence users’ search processes and how task types and groups affect search units. In the experiment, eleven undergraduates and five graduates conducted information gathering task for writing a report and trip planning. We recorded their verbal protocols during the tasks and post interviews, browser logs, screen captured video, and eye-tracking data. We divided the process of exploratory searches into search units. Then search units were classified into the two types of information needs, navigational and informational, based on qualitative data. We conducted a quantitative analysis to compare between tasks and groups and types of search units. The results showed that there were many differences between the information and navigation search units.

GLASE 0.1: eyes tell more than mice

This paper proposes a prototype system called Gaze-Learning-Access-and-Search-Engine 0.1 (GLASE), which can perform image relevance ranking based on gaze data and within-session learning. We developed a search user interface that uses an eye-tracker as an input device and employed a relevance re-ranking algorithm based on the gaze length. The preliminary experimental results showed that using our gaze-driven system reduced the task completion time an average of 13.7% in a search session.