Understanding folksonomy as an information architecture for exploratory search Tingting Jiang & Dr. Sherry Koshman School of Information Sciences University of Pittsburgh

Outline Exploratory search and social tagging systems Information architectures in exploratory search systems Information seeking modes in social tagging systems IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 01

Exploratory search and social tagging systems

Information architectures in exploratory search systems

Information seeking modes in social tagging systems

Motivation – uncertainties Information need Information space Exploratory search IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 02 Activities Searching – cognitive Browsing – perceptual

Motivation – uncertainties

Information need

Information space

Activities

Searching – cognitive

Browsing – perceptual

Motivation – Uncertainties Interests in finding out What is available? What is the trend? Lacking awareness of Flat and inclusive structure - folksonomy Social tagging systems IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 03 Information seeking in social tagging systems is largely exploratory

Motivation – Uncertainties

Interests in finding out

What is available?

What is the trend?

Lacking awareness of

Flat and inclusive structure - folksonomy

Hierarchical classification Faceted Categorization Dynamic clusters Folksonomy Four structures IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 04 del.icio.us, Flickr, CiteUlike DDC, LCC, Google Directory eBay shopping categories Clusty, Grokker, Carrot

Hierarchical classification

Faceted Categorization

Dynamic clusters

Folksonomy

IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 05 Tagging hierarchical classification comprehensive fixed nonoverlapping hierarchical enumerative universal local high investment professional / formal Hierarchical classification

IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 06 Tagging facted categorization a set of small hierarchies conceptual dimensions less investment professionals navigational searching recognition / recall mental work Faceted categorization flexibility query fixed colletions

IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 07 Tagging dynamic clusters dynamic post-retrieval unique clustering algorithms automation less complex less costly Vivisimo customization Dynamic clusters ambiguity instability

IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 08 Tagging folksonomy flat inclusive anyone any language liberal distributed democratic inexpensive responsive basic level problem Folksonomy vocabulary problem

IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 09 Comparison of structures Hierarchical classification Faceted categorization Clustering Social tagging Type of structure Rigid hierarchies Hierarchical faceted categories Topical clusters Flat and inclusive folksonomy Creators experts professionals automatically everybody Users experienced trained trained naive Process Top down Top down Top down Bottom up Vocabulary Controlled vocabulary Controlled vocabulary Content-based Any language Domains Professional, formal, small, stable Structured, fixed, small, homogenous Unstructured, miscellaneous, medium Miscellaneous, distributed, uncontrolled Examples CitiViz, WebTOC Flamenco Grokker, Clusty del.icio.us, Flickr

Four activities Browsing Searching Being aware Monitoring Information seeking in social tagging systems Three elements Resources Users Tags IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 10

Four activities

Browsing

Searching

Being aware

Monitoring

Three elements

Resources

Users

Tags

RESOURCES social structure IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 11 Social tagging: three elements USERS TAGS information structure Information space

Recommendation Recent / popular resources Recent / popular tags Being aware TAG USER RESOURCE IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 12

Recommendation

Recent / popular resources

Recent / popular tags

Monitoring Subscription Users of interest Tags of interest IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 13 TAG USER RESOURCE

Subscription

Users of interest

Tags of interest

Searching Search term Tag Username Resource keyword IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 14 TAG USER RESOURCE

Search term

Tag

Username

Resource keyword

Browsing Multiple directions Resource description User central place Tag navigation IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 15 TAG USER RESOURCE

Multiple directions

Resource description

User central place

Tag navigation

TAG USER RESOURCE being aware monitoring searching browsing IA Summit 2008 Jiang, T. & Koshman, S. – folksonomy, IA, exploratory search 16 Exploration framework

Thank you very much! Contact us: tij4@pitt.edu School of Information Sciences University of Pittsburgh [email_address]