Leveraging user search behavior to design personalized browsing interfaces for healthcare web sites

Abstract

Understanding and leveraging user search behavior is increasingly becoming a key component towards improving web sites functionality for the health care consumer and provider. Hence, the development and improvement of any interactive browser-based information system, such as those used by digital libraries, requires consideration of the type of individuals utilizing the system, an understanding of available content and inclusion of a way to measure user interactivity. Information systems not only need to provide useful content, they must also present content in a way that results in an efficient, effective and satisfying user experience. Functional interface design is assumed to take in consideration the overall environment of the user to support users in their search tasks. Web logs - access logs and search logs - record user interactions with the interface, and as thus provide insight in user search behavior in a natural environment. The present study measures the usability of a digital library through an in depth analysis of the web logs. The study also leverages user interaction with the digital library to propose a use driven browsing interface to improve user interaction with the system. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.