Visualizing Information-Triage

In many ways, the promise of the Internet has been overshadowed by a sense of information overload and anxiety for many users. The production and publication of online material has become increasingly accessible and affordable, creating a confusing glut of information users must sift through to locate exactly what they want or need. Even a fundamental Google search can often prove paralyzing. In this chapter, the author examines the points at which design plays a role in the online search process, reconciles those points with the nature of sensemaking and the limitations of working memory, and suggests ways to support users with an information-triage system. The author then describes a speculative online searching prototype that explores these issues and the possibilities for information-triage.