In the bookshop: Examining popular search strategies

Abstract

Users' search tactics often appear naïve. Much research has endeavored to understand the rudimentary query typically seen in log analyses and user studies. Researchers have tested a number of approaches to supporting query development, including information literacy training and interaction design these have tried and often failed to induce users to use more complex search strategies. To further investigate this phenomenon, we combined established HCI methods with models from cultural studies, and observed customers' mediated searches for books in bookstores. Our results suggest that sophisticated search techniques demand mental models that many users lack. © 2011 ACM.