Serving the needs of the information retrieval user

Abstract

During the last few years, there have been a large number of reports, papers and articles written on a variety of information retrieval systems. I believe that too much has been written on the needs of information retrieval systems, and not enough either researched or written on the needs of the user. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary states that "need" is a "necessary duty; obligation; or a condition requiring supply or relief." This clearly defines what we mean by the "needs" of the information retrieval user. Despite all the advances in the field of information retrieval, we may inadvertently be building limitations into many of our information systems, simply because we are not fully considering the user, his needs, his reactions and his interactions with information retrieval.