Human-computer interaction view on information retrieval evaluation

Abstract

The field of information retrieval (IR) has experienced tremendous growth over the years. Researchers have however identified Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) aspects as important concerns in IR research. Incorporation of HCI techniques in IR can ensure that IR systems intended for human users are developed and evaluated in a way that is consistent with and reflects the needs of those users. The traditional methods of evaluating IR systems have for a long period been largely concerned with system-oriented measurements such as precision and recall, but not on the usability aspects of the IR system. There also are no well-established evaluation approaches for studying users and their interactions with IR systems. This chapter describes the role and place of HCI toward supporting and appropriating the evaluation of IR systems. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.