A conceptual model of collaborative information seeking

Past research into information seeking has generally focused on the information seeker as an individual, and examined the activities, roles, behaviours, methods and processes an individual uses to locate and gather information. Little work has been done examining the information seeker as a group, that is, collaborative information seeking. The goal of the research described in this paper is to examine collaborative information seeking, suggest a conceptual model for collaborative information seeking and relate that model to current information technology initiatives. The potential value of collaborative information seeking can be seen (nor limited to) in such information technology initiatives as computer supported collaborative work (CSCW), knowledge management, and electronic commerce.