Cognitive coordinating behaviors in multitasking web search

Abstract

This paper investigates how users cognitively coordinate multitasking Web search across different information search problems. The analysis suggests that (1) multitasking is a prevalent Web search behavior including both sequential multitasking (31%) and parallel multitasking (69%); (2) multitasking is performed through a task switching process; and (3) such a process is supported and underpinned by cognitive coordination mechanisms and strategy coordination.