Collaborating Alone and Together: Investigating Persistent and Multi-User Web Search Activities

Today’s web browsers provide limited support for rich information seeking and sharing scenarios. A survey we conducted of 204 knowledge workers at a large technology company has revealed that a large proportion of users engage in searches spanning multiple sessions and machines, and that such searches may include collaborative activities. We present the results of the survey, and then review the implications of these findings for designing new web search interfaces that provide tools for resumption of state and for sharing. Guided by the survey results, we propose a set of key collaboration features, including the importance of providing support for persistence, awareness, and division of labor.