Modeling real-world information seeking in a corporate environment

Designing effective electronic information systems in real-world applications is a complex endeavor. Several factors, including the user's cognitive capabilities and limitations, the work domain and task constraints, and the content and form of the electronic medium, influence the interactive information-seeking process. This article presents an approach to model real-world information seeking in a corporate environment. Our approach uses self-reported user questionnaires, field studies of real-world professionals searching for information, and cognitive modeling techniques. This article presents modeling methodology, modeling results, and an overview of applying results to the design of human-centered interfaces used in a real-world electronic information system.