Projects: Characterization Studies

Information foraging theory is an approach to the analysis of human activities involving information access technologies. It aims to provide an understanding of how strategies and technologies for information seeking, gathering, and consumption are adapted to the flux of information in the environment. Much of the work is inspired by optimal foraging theory in biology and anthropology, which analyzes the adaptive value of food-foraging strategies. The theory focuses analysis on how the user gains value from interaction and the cost of that interaction. Adaptive behaviors and technologies are ones that have superior value in relation to cost (e.g. time). We use the theory to understand human-computer interaction, and to develop new design and engineering models.