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. 2008 Apr;41(2):357-70.
doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2007.09.005. Epub 2007 Oct 1.

A multi-level model of information seeking in the clinical domain

Peter W Hung  1 , Stephen B Johnson, David R Kaufman, Eneida A Mendonça
Affiliations

A multi-level model of information seeking in the clinical domain

Peter W Hung et al. J Biomed Inform. 2008 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: Clinicians often have difficulty translating information needs into effective search strategies to find appropriate answers. Information retrieval systems employing an intelligent search agent that generates adaptive search strategies based on human search expertise could be helpful in meeting clinician information needs. A prerequisite for creating such systems is an information seeking model that facilitates the representation of human search expertise. The purpose of developing such a model is to provide guidance to information seeking system development and to shape an empirical research program.

Design: The information seeking process was modeled as a complex problem-solving activity. After considering how similarly complex activities had been modeled in other domains, we determined that modeling context-initiated information seeking across multiple problem spaces allows the abstraction of search knowledge into functionally consistent layers. The knowledge layers were identified in the information science literature and validated through our observations of searches performed by health science librarians.

Results: A hierarchical multi-level model of context-initiated information seeking is proposed. Each level represents (1) a problem space that is traversed during the online search process, and (2) a distinct layer of knowledge that is required to execute a successful search. Grand strategy determines what information resources will be searched, for what purpose, and in what order. The strategy level represents an overall approach for searching a single resource. Tactics are individual moves made to further a strategy. Operations are mappings of abstract intentions to information resource-specific concrete input. Assessment is the basis of interaction within the strategic hierarchy, influencing the direction of the search.

Conclusion: The described multi-level model provides a framework for future research and the foundation for development of an automated information retrieval system that uses an intelligent search agent to bridge clinician information needs and human search expertise.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The amount of relevance information learned is proportional to the time it costs to perform the assessment. The nature of the relationship depicted is not necessarily linear.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A multi-level model of contextualized information seeking. Each level from Grand Strategy to Operations represents a distinct problem space within the model's strategic hierarchy. The goals of a given level are accomplished by the level beneath it, until the lowest level of the hierarchy is reached (Operations). Grand Strategy, Strategy, and Tactics are levels that are abstract in nature (white planes), while the Operations level represents a mapping of intention onto concrete search actions (shaded plane). Orthogonal to the other levels of the strategic hierarchy, the Assessment level provides evaluative feedback of search results and serves as a control structure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Initial stages of librarian search. Note that Objectives 2 and 3 are left unexpanded for space considerations, but unfolded in similar fashion to Objective 1. The search continues on with Objective 5 (not shown).
Figure 4
Figure 4
End of librarian search. The final stages of the search introduced in Figure 3 are shown.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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