What was my search goal again? Supporting web exploration in information search for older users

Abstract

This study investigated how supporting search goal refreshing in working memory could cope with older adults’ lower fluid abilities and helped them search for information with a search engine. 18 older and 30 young adults searched for information to four complex search problems with a classic search interface or with a search interface that displayed at all time their ultimate query. Results showed that the support tool improved older adults search strategies when navigating (i.e. reduced the amount of content webpages visited multiple times and the exploitation of the queries produced) and when reformulating (i.e. reduced the time required to reformulate their query).