Search

This article focuses on research and development opportunities to improve current Internet search interfaces so users can succeed more often in situations when they lack the knowledge or contextual awareness to formulate queries or navigate complex information spaces, the search task requires browsing and exploration, or system indexing of available information is inadequate. Most people rely on tentative queries, exploring and retrieving information, and selectively seeking and passively obtaining cues about what step to take next. Researchers are working on techniques to support these kinds of queries in what is known as "exploratory search."