Uxlabs Limited Public Funding

According to the IDC whitepaper, The High Cost of Not Finding Information, knowledge workers spend 2.5 hours per day searching for information. Assuming they either find what they are looking for eventually or stop and end up making a non-optimal decision, there is a high cost to both outcomes. Indeed, this problem is particularly acute for knowledge-based professions. The healthcare industry, for example, relies on painstaking and meticulous searching of multiple literature sources as the foundation of the evidence-based approach to decision making. However, systematic literature reviews can take years to complete, and are often compromised by errors and inefficiencies in the search strategies they rely on. To address this problem, UXLabs is developing a radical alternative to traditional keyword search. We are creating a novel, visual framework which allows users to express complex information needs via a simple but powerful visual syntax. The aim of this project is to research and develop a knowledge-based approach to concept generation which can be integrated within our visual framework to deliver a solution which has the potential to profoundly change the way that information needs are expressed. By combining support for both optimal structure and optimal content we can improve their efficiency and effectiveness of search strategy formulation across a broad range of target markets.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Information professionals and researchers often rely on Boolean search queries to express complex information needs. Yet they, along with most non-professional searchers, find the formulation and manipulation of such queries cumbersome and inefficient. Given the ubiquitous nature of this problem and the increasing importance of search as an enabler for effective data exploration, there has to be a better way. UXLabs is developing a radical alternative to traditional query formulation. We are creating a novel, visual framework which allows users to express complex information needs in a manner that is simple and intuitive and directly leverages the interaction patterns and metaphors of tablet computing. The objective of this project is to assess the potential markets for this new approach. The results will be used to support the identification of key use cases and to quantify the commercial opportunity that this innovation addresses. The project will involve a programme of qualitative research involving end users and stakeholders from a number of target sectors. The outputs will be used to inform the design process and optimise the overall user experience and functionality. We will also undertake a competitive analysis of existing approaches. This will be used to identify key use cases and their benefits, both to the end user and to the organisation as a whole.

Users of open data often rely on complex Boolean queries to search and access their collections. Yet they, along with users of many other search tools, find the formulation and manipulation of such queries cumbersome and inefficient. Given the ubiquitous nature of this problem and the increasing significance of search as a means to unlock the value of open data, there has to be a better way. UXLabs is developing a radical alternative to traditional query formulation. We are creating a novel, visual framework which allows users to express themselves in a manner that is simple and intuitive and directly leverages the interaction patterns and metaphors of consumer touchscreen devices. The outcome is a new approach to query formulation that moves beyond the traditional mouse, keyboard and screen to deliver a more immersive, visual user experience.