Research Agenda: Visual Overviews for Exploratory Search

Exploratory search is necessary when users knowledge ofthe domain is incomplete or when initial user goals do not
match available data or metadata that is the basis for search
indexing attributes. Such mismatches mean that users need
to learn more in order to develop a better understanding of
the domain or to revise their search goals. Exploratory
search processes may take weeks or months, so interfaces
that support prolonged exploration are necessary. The
attraction of exploratory search is that users can take on
more ambitious goals that require substantial learning and
creative leaps to bridge the gaps between what they know
and that they seek.