TY - JOUR

T1 - Interactive visual facets to support fluid exploratory search

AU - He, Chen

AU - Micallef, Luana

AU - Serim, Barış

AU - Vuong, Tung

AU - Ruotsalo, Tuukka

AU - Jacucci, Giulio

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Abstract: Exploratory search starts with ill-defined goals and involves browsing, learning, and formulating new targets for search. To fluidly support such dynamic search behaviours, we focus on devising interactive visual facets (IVF), visualising information facets to support user comprehension and control of the information space. We reviewed existing faceted search interfaces and derived two design requirements (DR) that have not been fully addressed to support fluid interactions in exploratory search. We then exemplified the requirements through devising an IVF tool, which coordinates a linear and a categorical facet representing the distribution and summarisation of items, respectively, and providing context for faceted exploration (DR1). To support rapid transitions between search criteria (DR2), the tool introduces a novel design concept of using facets to select items without filtering the item space. Particularly, we propose a filter-swipe technique that enables users to drag a categorical facet value sequentially over linear facet bars to view the items in the intersection of the two facets along with the categorical facet dynamically summarising the items in the intersection. Three applications with various datasets demonstrate how the features support information discovery with ease. A comparison with a baseline system provided evidence that the task performance of the IVF tool was comparable to the typical query search interface. Another study of 11 participants with realistic email search tasks shows that dynamic suggestions through the timeline navigation can help discover useful suggestions for search; the novel design concept was favoured over using facet values as filters. Based on these practices, we derive IVF design implications for fluid, exploratory searches. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

AB - Abstract: Exploratory search starts with ill-defined goals and involves browsing, learning, and formulating new targets for search. To fluidly support such dynamic search behaviours, we focus on devising interactive visual facets (IVF), visualising information facets to support user comprehension and control of the information space. We reviewed existing faceted search interfaces and derived two design requirements (DR) that have not been fully addressed to support fluid interactions in exploratory search. We then exemplified the requirements through devising an IVF tool, which coordinates a linear and a categorical facet representing the distribution and summarisation of items, respectively, and providing context for faceted exploration (DR1). To support rapid transitions between search criteria (DR2), the tool introduces a novel design concept of using facets to select items without filtering the item space. Particularly, we propose a filter-swipe technique that enables users to drag a categorical facet value sequentially over linear facet bars to view the items in the intersection of the two facets along with the categorical facet dynamically summarising the items in the intersection. Three applications with various datasets demonstrate how the features support information discovery with ease. A comparison with a baseline system provided evidence that the task performance of the IVF tool was comparable to the typical query search interface. Another study of 11 participants with realistic email search tasks shows that dynamic suggestions through the timeline navigation can help discover useful suggestions for search; the novel design concept was favoured over using facet values as filters. Based on these practices, we derive IVF design implications for fluid, exploratory searches. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

KW - Exploratory search

KW - Fluid interaction

KW - Information facets

KW - Visual data exploration

U2 - 10.1007/s12650-022-00865-4

DO - 10.1007/s12650-022-00865-4

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85135239963

VL - 26

SP - 211

EP - 230

JO - Journal of Visualization

JF - Journal of Visualization

SN - 1343-8875

ER -