Determining The Functionality Features Of An Intelligent Interface To An Information Retrieval System

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a method for specifying the functionality of an intelligent interface to large-scale information retrieval systems, and for implementing those functions in an operational environment. The method is based on a progressive, three-stage model of intelligent information support; a high-level cognitive task analysis of the information retrieval problem; a low-level specification of the host system functionality; and, derivation of explicit relations between the system functions and the cognitive tasks. This method is applied, by example, in the context of the European Space Agency Information Retrieval Service, with some specific suggestions for implementation of a stage one intelligent interface to that system.