Exploratory information searching in the enterprise: A study of user satisfaction and task performance

Abstract

No prior research has been identified that investigates the causal factors for workplace exploratory search task performance. The impact of user, task, and environmental factors on user satisfaction and task performance was investigated through a mixed methods study with 26 experienced information professionals using enterprise search in an oil and gas enterprise. Some participants found 75% of high-value items, others found none, with an average of 27%. No association was found between self-reported search expertise and task performance, with a tendency for many participants to overestimate their search expertise. Successful searchers may have more accurate mental models of both search systems and the information space. Organizations may not have effective exploratory search task performance feedback loops, a lack of learning. This may be caused by management bias towards technology, not capability, a lack of systems thinking. Furthermore, organizations may not "know" they "don't know" their true level of search expertise, a lack of knowing. A metamodel is presented identifying the causal factors for workplace exploratory search task performance. Semistructured qualitative interviews with search staff from the defense, pharmaceutical, and aerospace sectors indicates the potential transferability of the finding that organizations may not know their search expertise levels.

The interaction between people, information and innovation: Information literacy to underpin innovative work behaviour in a Finnish organisation

“…The time required to analyse the large amount of information causes uneasiness and lowers confidence in information use. These findings are in line with recent research that suggests that information overload may influence the ability to search information effectively, and that people may not be aware of this (see Cleverley, ; Cleverley, Burnett & Muir, ). This could lead to search tasks being terminated early and with a detrimental effect on organisational outcomes (Cleverley, Burnett & Muir, ).…”

Enterprise search and discovery capability: The factors and generative mechanisms for user satisfaction

“…Increasing information volumes were identified as a factor for increasing dissatisfaction [section 4.3] supporting existing studies [38,97] although models for information system success only mention the quality property of information, which provides widespread opportunities to revise models in the literature (such as DeLone and McLean [64]). …”

Collaborative exploratory search for information filtering and large‐scale information triage

“…First, in contrast to web search, the hybrid strategy fits high performing organizations who apply human and machine resources to effect strategic information outcomes, despite an environment of exponential data growth (information overload) and severe time constraints. By serialization, the strategy overcomes the low quality of applying exploratory search alone (Cleverley et al, , p. 92) and the low quality of applying directed browsing alone (see rough calculation above), thus increasing the yield of relevant files.…”

“…Cleverley, Burnett, and Muir () concluded that organizations faced with information overload “may not ‘know’ they ‘don't know’” that they are missing high value information (pp. 1, 93).…”