[Sigia-l] Conceptual models (again): metaphors or categories?

[Thomas Vander Wal]

Tanya Rabourn wrote:

> Thomas Vander Wal wrote:
> > Xerox Parc did have very helpful information on information scent posted
> > and information foraging, but seem to have restricted access to that
> > information.  These elements are similar but do not exend quite as far
> > (i.e. the metaphor breaks and other metaphors have to be used to extend
> > to understanding or explaining mental models or even out to Web
Services).
> They seem to have disappeared in just the last few weeks. I think if you
> search google for pirolli you could get them from the google cache. This
> pdf is still there though:
>
http://www.parc.xerox.com/istl/projects/uir/pubs/pdf/UIR-R-1999-05-Pirolli-R
eport-InfoForaging.pdf
>
> Thomas, I'm sorry if you've already explained this and I missed it, but
> what are the areas where you find information foraging theory breaking
> down? (I'm not dubious, I just want someone to articulate it)
>
> -Tanya

All metaphors break at some point.  Information foraging works well with
finding information through search and link clicking exercises.  Building
categories is where I find information beginning to break, as there may be
many scents an item may have which leads to faceted classification systems
and tools.  Narrowing classifications for site navigation becomes a little
less distinct.   But, foraging seems to completely break with
personalization, setting contextual elements (handheld parsing), and machine
readable areas (Web Services and information agents).

Much of the information foraging metaphor revolves around scent, which
begins to break when trying to draw information toward the user with
personalization or information agents searching for us.  To attract
information in real terms we use the terms and like terms to draw
information particles toward our selves.  The closest metaphor with foraging
would be trap setting where one baits a trap, but one does not bait a trap
with bear meat to catch a bear.  The foraging metaphor starts needing
translations to clarify what we are really trying to do.

I did find the Xerox Parc PDF documents have not been moved, just the site
wrapping them.

Foraging:
http://www.parc.xerox.com/istl/projects/uir/pubs/pdf/UIR-R-1998-10-Pirolli-A
VI98-InformationForaging.pdf

Computational models of information scent following...
http://www.parc.xerox.com/istl/projects/uir/pubs/pdf/UIR-R-1996-03-Pirolli-C
HI97-Computational.pdf

All the best,
Thomas

www.vanderwal.net