This research aims to explore why people turn to other people for information with the purpose of guiding future study while informing professional practice and, in the long run, system design. The study focuses on everyday situations in which information is needed, ranging from finding new jobs and lower mortgages, to healthcare, housing, childcare, social activities, and other aspects of daily life. It aims to expand empirical and theoretical knowledge of interpersonal information seeking with a long-term focus on devising ways for improving information services; involving students and underrepresented groups in varied capacities; collaborating with cognate business, community and academic organizations; communicating the results to national and international audiences; and facilitating a community of interest and practice around enhancing information behavior as it occurs in everyday contexts.
The study will be conducted using a naturalistic approach that will yield rich insights into two groups of people (stay-at-home mothers and preteens) to discern key aspects of their everyday information behavior, particularly regarding interpersonal information seeking over different synchronous and asynchronous media (e.g., face-to-face, telephone, email, chat rooms, newsgroups, etc). Using a grounded theory approach along with Chatman's theory of normative behavior and Friedman's value sensitive design, data will be collected using multiple methods, including different forms of observation, interviews, participant diary keeping, and focus groups with approximately 15-20 participants for each population. Data may be collected in-person and/or online depending on the nature of each group and which methods appear most viable. During field observation, participants' interactions with other people will be watched for incidents of information sharing while contextual background evidence also will be gathered. During interviews participants will be asked such questions as with whom they discuss particular situations (finding a job, illness, childcare needs, relationships, home maintenance, etc.,) and why, how they can tell if someone needs information, how they personally manage everyday information, etc. Potential participants will be located at "information grounds"-places where they gather naturally for an activity but subsequently engage in information sharing. Data collection and analysis will occur iteratively and combined with the generation of theoretical propositions.
The study results will be used to derive the initial framework for a theoretical model of interpersonal information seeking that will be highly relevant to scholars and professionals working in any field related to the design and delivery of information systems and services. These fields range from information science and computer science to business, engineering, medicine and healthcare, social work and education. To-date virtually no framework exists from a user and information perspective that can explain why people turn to other people for information and that can be used for supporting human behavior. The framework's richness will stem from the study's naturalistic and grounded theory approach together with its focus on a broad range of participants as they engage in daily life.
Broader Impacts: Undergraduate and graduate students will participate in formal and informal capacities throughout all stages of the project, as will partners at different organizations such as the United Way and Microsoft Research. Concrete suggestions for improving professional practice will be drafted by working with different stakeholders in the nonprofit and profit sectors, and disseminated broadly.
