The information seeking and retrieval process at the Swedish patent- and registration office: moving from lab-based to real life work-task environment
Preben Hansen, Kalervo Järvelin · 2000
The following paper describes a set of methods that is currently used in a study of the task performance process of patent engineers within the Swedish Patent- and Registration Office (SPRO) 1. The focus of the study is to investigate the relationship between the user’s work-task and the information seeking and retrieval process. The study is performed within a real life work setting where patent engineers are performing real work tasks involving real information needs. This paper will focus on and describe a set of data collection methods used in our study. Generally, IR studies are performed within a controlled laboratory environment with controlled variables and design or simulated information need. We argue that we need to take a broader perspective on the information seeking and retrieval in order to understand the task performance process and elicit requirements for information systems design.