The role of context in query input: using contextual signals to complete queries on mobile devices

ABSTRACT

The difficulty of entering queries from impoverished keyboards impedes the use of web search on mobile devices. On average, it takes a mobile user approximately 60 seconds to enter a query from a 9-key keypad [1]. In this paper, we explore the use of contextual signals to facilitate query entry on mobile phones. We present a query prediction system which offers automatically generated word completions as the user is typing her query. The query prediction system redefines the prediction dictionary after considering contextual signals such as the application being used (e.g. search vs. general text messaging), the inferred location of the user, the time of day and day of week. We demonstrate a 46.4% improvement in query entry, measured by number of key presses needed to enter queries. We found that the two contextual signals that make the largest impact are knowledge of the application being used and the location of the user.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.5 Sound and Music Computing

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors, Measurement

Keywords:
context, mobile search, query, query prediction, web search, word completion