Just-in-time information retrieval

Abstract

This thesis defines Just-In-Time Information Retrieval agents (JITIRs): a class of software agents that proactively present potentially valuable information based on a person's local context in an easily accessible yet non-intrusive manner. The research described experimentally demonstrates that such systems encourage the viewing and use of information that would not otherwise be viewed, by reducing the cognitive effort required to find, evaluate and access information. Experiments and analysis of long-term use provide a deeper understanding of the different ways JITIRs can be valuable: by providing useful or supporting information that is relevant to the current task, by contextualizing the current task in a broader framework, by providing information that is not useful in the current task but leads to the discovery of other information that is useful, and by providing information that is not useful for the current task but is valuable for other reasons. Finally, this research documents heuristics and techniques for the design of JITIRs. These techniques are based on theory and are demonstrated by the field-testing of three complete systems: the Remembrance Agent, Margin Notes, and Jimminy. Specifically, these heuristics are designed to make information accessible with low effort, and yet ignorable should the user wish to concentrate entirely on his primary task.