The goal of the research is to understand and support the human processes of accessing digital cultural heritage collections by (i) studying information interactions and ii) facilitating better access to the collections with tool development. The research is based on the task-based information interaction paradigm. By studying the use of digital collections in authentic work tasks we are able to create better methods and tools, which contribute to work task processes by supporting information interaction.
We focus on understanding interactions, work flows and search patterns in information intensive tasks, and developing methods to support searching and exploration of information.
Background
The research is part of the activities of the FIRE (Finnish Information Retrieval Expert Group).
Goal
Our point of view is to approach the challenges of digital cultural heritage collections - and the corresponding retrieval and evaluation methods - from the point of view of the needs of the users, as opposed to a data-centric view. We aim at improved understanding of the information interactions of the end users, and to develop support methods via multi-disciplinary national and international cooperation.
Funding source
Academy of Finland
Contact persons
Heikki Keskustalo
Responsible leader
Heikki.Keskustalo [at] staff.uta.fi
+358 50 378 3066
Sanna Kumpulainen
Postdoctoral researcher
Sanna.Kumpulainen [at] staff.uta.fi
Boyang Zhang
Postdoctoral researcher
Boyang.Zhang [at] staff.uta.fi