A FolderBased Graphical Interface for
an Information Retrieval System

Aidan Low
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract
Past advances in user interface design include the move from an applicationcentric
model to the documentcentric model found in the file/folder graphical interfaces of
modern operating systems. Recently, we have also seen advances in querybased
information retrieval technology, such as the search engines of the WorldWide Web.
This thesis proposes an interface that combines the power of these two technologies to
produce a unified interface that allows users to navigate their information space more
easily and more intuitively. This interface, the Haystack Browser, presents users with a
file/folder graphical interface that allows users to dynamically categorize their
information space by creating "folders" that correspond to queries within an information
retrieval system. The interface is implemented as an extension of the Haystack Project, a
personalized information retrieval system under development at the MIT Laboratory for
Computer Science.



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