Personalizable directories: A case study in automatic user modelling
Cite as:
Witten, I. H., Greenberg, S., and Cleary, J. (1983). Personalizable directories: A case study in automatic user modelling. In Proceedings of Graphics Interface ’83, pp. 183-190, Edmonton, Alberta, May. Earlier version as Report 83-118-7
Abstract.
A personalized directory system is presented which demonstrates how automatic user modelling can reduce the average number of menu-based selections needed to retrieve entries from a large ordered list, such as a telephone directory. It offers a simple case study for pilot human factor experiments in automatic user modelling; it affords the possibility of a device independent men-selection system; and it gives a technique for personalizing cheap, mass market databases. A number of difficult issues in automatic user modelling are raised, such as the user’s perception of a dynamic system, the need of user control and the measurement of user satisfaction. The personalized directory system is being used as a test-bed to examine such issues, and will refine our insight into the human factors implications of user modelling.
Keywords: user modelling, device independence, human factors, menus, directories.