Task complexity affects information seeking and use

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Fulltext version of doctoral dissertation

Katriina Byström and Kalervo Järvelin
Department of Information Studies
University of Tampere, Finland

Task Complexity affects information seeking and Use

Abstract

It is nowadays generally agreed that a person's information seeking depends on her tasks and the problems encountered in performing them. The relationships of broad task types and information seeking characteristics have been analyzed both conceptually and empirically. However, the influence of task complexity on the types of information sought has not been studied. In this article, the relationships of task complexity, necessary information types, information channels and sources are analyzed on the basis of a qualitative investigation. Tasks were categorized in five complexity classes and information into problem information, domain information and problem solving information. Moreover, several classifications of information channels and sources were utilized. The data were collected in a public administration setting through diaries, which were written during task performance, and questionnaires. The findings were structured into work charts for each task and summarized in qualitative process description tables for each task complexity category. Quantitative indices further summarizing the results were also computed. The results indicate very systematic and logical relationships between task complexity, types of information, information channels and sources.