What Can Eye‐Trackers Visualize? — An Approach to Capture the Reality of Search Processes

Abstract

AbstractEye‐trackers have widely been used to judge whether user interfaces fit the searchers' cognitive style, but not often used to examine search processes. We have been using eye‐trackers to capture the behavior of people doing information searches on the web and attained an understanding of information search processes as cognitive processes with length and depth. We think eye‐trackers are useful for identifying various aspects of information search processes. In the past, eye‐trackers were quite expensive and required skill to use. Recently, however, less‐expensive and easy‐to‐use eye‐trackers have become available. Now it is possible to gather, compare, and contrast various research methods, findings, and implications about using eye‐trackers in behavior research particularly regarding web searches, in order to develop a firm foundation for future research.We would like to invite researchers from all over the globe who have been conducting a research using eye‐trackers for studying information seeking behaviors. Panel members' topics are as follows