User modeling (& mental models)
"User models" has attracted a great deal of attention from researchers in dialog-systems based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The theoretical assumption have been that flexible user-oriented dialog responses only are possible if the system is in possession of a model of the user. Such a model should contain knowledge concerning the user's background knowledge, his or her goals and plans in relation to the task for which the system is consulted. An example of such a model is the MONSTRAT Model.
User models are more simple and probably more justified in some applications such as control room management (even here may the cognitive assumptions be a problem, cf., Axel, 2002).
The potentials of user models in information science is
evaluated rather negatively by Karen Sparck Jones (1988, p. 341):
"The direct conclusion to be drawn from the chapter's analysis is a pessimistic
one: even assuming very powerful system resources, far beyond the scope of
today's system, there are generally early limits to the modeling that can be
achieved..."
The idea of such modeling is related to
cognitive views. From, for
example, a hermeneutical perspective, the very idea of modeling the individual
user seem rather absurd. The users are more or less influenced by different
traditions or perspectives (and so are the designers of systems). From this
perspective what should be modeled (or rather explicated) are the
epistemological views which lie behind the users' ways of interaction with the
literature and its representation in databases.
Perhaps this insight is beginning to influence Library and Information Science. As far as known, not much developments or applications have taken place concerning models such as MONSTRAT since 1992.
Westbrook (2006) explicates the term 'mental model' and its associated concepts, analyzes the controversies and connections pertaining to mental model research in information studies, and reports the findings of an exploratory study of the mental models of an academic information system. As one aspect of the process of making sense out of their experiences, individuals develop mental models of the systems and processes with which they interact. These models include (1) key components, (2) relationships between those components, and (3) techniques for interacting with the system or process. The small-scale study discussed here identifies three distinct patterns across the models of information seeking held by graduate students in a reference course.
Literature:
Axel, E. (2002). Regulation as productive tool use. Participatory observation in the control room of a district heating system. Frederiksberg: Roskilde University Press.
Ellis, D. (1990). Cognitive user modelling. Pp. 46-70 IN: Ellis, David: New Horizons in Information Retrieval. London: Library Association.
Palermiti, R. & and Polity, Y. (1995). Desperately seeking user models in information retrieval systems: benefits and limits of cognitivist and marketing approaches. The new review of information and library research, vol 1, 57-65. Available at: http://www.iut2.upmf-grenoble.fr/RI3/Usermodels.htm
Sparck Jones, K. (1988). Realism About User Modeling. IN: User Models in Dialog Systems. Ed. by Alfred Kobsa & Wolfgang Wahlster. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
Westbrook, L. (2006). Mental models: a
theoretical overview and preliminary study. Journal of Information Science,
32(6), 563-579.
Birger Hjørland
Last updated: 24-02-2007