SMART: Search Maps and Routes/Trails of Both Subtasks and Sources to Support Complex Task‐based Search

ABSTRACT Towards the goal of constructing an agent that can assist users in completing complex tasks and searching for information from multiple sources. We propose a complex task‐supporting application, SMART (Search Maps and Routes/Trails), which combines complex task modeling through users' web activities and expands search support to include maps and routes/trails of both subtasks and sources within complex tasks through case‐based reasoning. We also summarize the results of a user study conducted to evaluate the usability of the SMART prototype system. The experimental results show that SMART could help searchers make search strategies, select information sources effectively, increase confidence during task performance, and improve search results. This highlights the value of both types of maps and routes/trails of subtasks and sources in complex task‐supporting.