I have proposed a way of classifying information
sources comprehensively that also takes the channel of
communication into account. A workflow of interaction among
different elements of context was presented. We also saw where
information sources could fit within the different views of a
seeker’s context when s/he is faced with a task that requires
looking for information for which the person will need to consult
an information source. A possible framework for future empirical
studies exploring the degree of perceived sharedness (which
would impact perceived source quality and subsequent usage) has
been provided. It is hoped that these models and frameworks will
help us better understand information sources in relationship to
the context of information seeking behavior, and help lend greater
rigor to empirical studies relating to a person’s choice of
information sources.
This also has practical implications for managers and
practitioners. By understanding how three views of context
coexist and work in tandem, and where among these views
information sources could fit, managers can better place resources
such that employees feel them to be a part of their shared context
(as opposed to context stereotype). E.g. employees with shared
norms and similar expertise can be seated together so that they
feel a greater level of cohesiveness and develop a feeling of
shared context. Employees could also be provided sustained
training and support for usage of different systems so that the
increase in familiarity helps them develop a degree of familiarity
and sharedness for the source. The framework is also useful for
designers of search systems to better understand how context
works, and to design search systems (impersonal information
sources) such that they are more likely to be placed by a seeker
within his/her shared context. This understanding might be one of
the first steps towards the design of information seeking search
systems that take context into consideration, as opposed to
information retrieval systems that are in prevalence today.
Future work will involve conducting theoretical and empirical
studies that explore the variables pertaining to information
sources and the role of context in source choice.