ARIADNE Project Description

The use of library resources is stereotyped as a solitary activity, with hardly any mention in the library science and information retrieval literature on the social aspects of information systems. However, it is clear that end-users engage in significant collaboration; both with co-searchers, library staff and other interested parties. The skill of locating information is one that a growing number of people require but our knowledge of how to teach it remains rudimentary. In particular database systems fail to support both the learning of skills and the sharing of information.

Our research concentrates on two novel areas of computer based support for information retrieval:

Visualisation of the Search Process

Collaborative working implies a need to share information: both the end product (the `hits') and the process (the search strategy/tactics). Similarly there is a need to share this information with the librarians, for whom inspection of the search process can reveal not only gaps in the user's browsing techniques but also an indication of their degree of searching sophistication. In addition an externalised representation of the search process reduces cognitive load and facilitates reflection - a vital component of learning.

We believe that the external representations of the search need to take account of this problem, to have features that minimise communication failures, but also support the detection and remediation of these errors by the participants.

We want to provide computer support to enable searches to be:

These issues are described in our paper Supporting collaborative learning during information searching presented at Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL'95) in Bloomington, Indiana. Further discussion can be found in the paper Designing Interfaces for Collaboration in Information Retrieval, which will appear in the journal Interacting with Computers.

A further selection of screendumps of search visualisations are available and a Java demo version can be used over the Web.

Collaborative Browsing
Traditionally as computer scientists we have designed databases to appear as single-user systems. Systems should provide support for collaboration, including awareness of other users and consideration of the physical attributes of libraries that may be lost when using a computerised alternative.

browsing for people

The information potentially present in databases is not limited to the items - it also includes the records of all previous searches. This information can be used to locate the most valuable resource of all - people with similar interests.

facilitating group work

Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) has become important in many diverse areas - we believe computers can support group work in accessing databases to avoid duplication of effort and encourage information sharing.

search re-use

Many searches duplicate previous searches - yet the information is lost and new searchers have to `re-invent the wheel.' We want to support the re-use of searches and take advantage of other searcher's efforts to retrieve additional records. This is sometimes referred to as social information filtering

collaborative learning

In addition to working in groups, people are increasingly learning in groups. This is occurring for both sound pedagogic reasons and cost-effectiveness. We need to develop systems both acknowledge collaborative learning and facilitate it.

supporting serendipitous altruism

Supporting the dissemination of chance finds to other members of your workgroup.

These issues are examined in the paper - Browsing is a Collaborative Process, in the journal Information Processing & Management, and also in the paper Collaborative browsing and visualisation of the search process presented at the ELVIRA'96 conference.

The British Library Research and Innovation Centre funded the project Investigation of collaborative browsing and the consequences for library systems design.

Two papers arising from this project are available:

Development

 We are developing a system, ARIADNE, to promote awareness of activity in the collaborative use of a database. This will be used to more effectively teach database browsing techniques to students from any discipline who may employ these skills in more innovative forms of learning activities. Our particular focus of interest is the use of library databases, where students collaborate with each other, both working together on joint assignments and learning browsing skills from each other, as well as interacting with library staff including subject experts. We are concerned with developing mechanisms for users to share the process as well as the products of their search. This permits far more effective collaborative working and collaborative learning by providing a tangible focus for discussions of browsing activity.

The project will use an iterative development methodology involving frequent testing by students of the evolving system. As well as enhancing the development of a usable and useful system, this will yield a set of recommendations for more effective teaching of database browsing skills using conventional systems as well as recommendations for the development of browsing interfaces that are easier to learn and use, particularly by people not from a computational background.

Future Work

We are interested in collaborating on further development of this research with other academic researchers, libraries, commercial suppliers of information, database system vendors and information intermediaries.

The Name of the Project

ARIADNE stands for: ARIADNE is named after the character from Greek mythology - Ariadne. Ariadne, the daughter of Minos (the King of Crete), gave Theseus a thread with which he could trace his way out of the Labyrinth after killing the Minotaur. An alternative version sees Ariadne give Theseus a magical wreath that lights up the Labyrinth's passages - the wreath subsequently being set in the heavens as the constellation Corona.

ARIADNE | CSEG | Computing Department | Lancaster University
ariadne @ comp.lancs.ac.uk