Users: Dead, Alive and Otherwise SIG CON 2005 Joseph Janes Associate Professor Associate Dean for...

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Users: Dead, Alive and Otherwise

SIG CON 2005

Joseph JanesAssociate Professor

Associate Dean for AcademicsThe Information School

of the University of Washingtonjwj@u.washington.edu

Information Behavior: Not What You Think

SIG CON 2004

Joseph Janes

SIG CON 2004

Joseph JanesAssistant Professor

School of Information and Library Studies

University of Michiganjanes@umich.edu

SIG CON 2004

School of InformationUniversity of Michigan

janes@umich.edu

SIG CON 2004

School of InformationUniversity of Michigan

janes@umich.edu

SIG CON 2004

Joseph JanesDirector

Internet Public Library

janes@ipl.org

SIG CON 2004

Joseph JanesDirector

Internet Public Library

janes@ipl.org

SIG CON 2004

Joseph JanesVisiting Associate Professor

School of Information StudiesSyracuse Universityjanes@umich.edu

SIG CON 2004

Joseph JanesVisiting Associate Professor

School of Information StudiesSyracuse Universityjanes@umich.edu

SIG CON 2004

The Information Schoolof the University of Washington

jwj@u.washington.edu

SIG CON 2004

Chair, Library and Information Science

SIG CON 2004

Chair, Library and Information Science

SIG CON 2005

yet another another new line of research

as administration continues to suck away my creative life

an increasing focus and work in information behavior, way beyond “user studies” of old and previous studies of user makeovers and behavior of information

perhaps there’s something more, that this work is missing

an idea suggested by session at this very conference

acknowledgement of contribution of Fisher et al (2005-6)

review of the literature

in this case, my own; research on several key populations

twins (1993)chimpanzees (1994)space aliens (1997)psychics (1999)the dead (????)the undead (????)it all seems to be pointing me towards one

question

conceptual framework

important concepts“alive”“dead”“freshly dead” (M. Brooks, 1974)

freshly dead

less freshly dead

conceptual framework

important concepts“alive”“dead”“freshly dead” (M. Brooks, 1974)“mostly dead”

“mostly dead”

Miracle Max: He probably owes you money huh? I'll ask him.

Inigo Montoya: He's dead. He can't talk. Miracle Max: Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so

much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.

Inigo Montoya: What's that? Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for

loose change. (W. Goldman, 1985)

research question

RQ1: is the user dead?

methodology

ask themSs were 150 “entities” using

information systemssimple survey instrument1 Q“Are you alive?”little need to operationalize concepts,

seems pretty straightforward

results

Are you alive?115 Yes33 N/R2 Noencouraging, but….could be a response bias, social

desirability effect

follow-up survey

[applied for IMLS grant funding, $200,000]

[positive support for grant, but concern by agency not asking for enough, encouraged to reapply]

resurveyed same sample, n = 1501 Q“Are you dead?”

results

Are you dead?92 No36 N/R2 Yesconsistency, further evidence that most

users are generally alivesome dropouts thomortality effect?

more evidence needed

follow up with a qualitative/naturalistic approach, try to get more in-depth data, further insight into experience of “entities” using systems

participant observationbootranscription of commentarydrawbacks to methodological approach,

refinement under consideration

further research suggested

appears to be a particularly fertile area once you get going

RQ: Are people who study “users” alive?preliminary investigation, unobtrusive

observationrelevant sessions at 2005 ASIS conferencejury still outfurther investigation required, perhaps at

the bar

SIG CON 2005

Users: Dead, Alive and Otherwise SIG CON 2005 Joseph Janes Associate Professor Associate Dean for...

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