Models of User Satisfaction: Understanding False Positives

Abstract

What does it mean to say that users are 'satisfied' with online searches or other products of information retrieval systems? A review of research in library and information science, computer systems, marketing, and psychology reveals three models of user satisfaction. In the Material Satisfaction Model, product performance (e.g. recall and precision) determine whether a user's stated question is answered (material satisfaction). In Emotional Satisfaction Model-Simple Path, users are "happy" or emotionally satisfied when their questions have been answered. In the Emotional Satisfaction Model-Multiple Path, users' happiness depends not only on questions answered (material satisfaction) but also on factors such as setting and expectations. This last model allows an understanding of the phenomenon of "false positive" emotional satisfaction: users who are happy with bad searches. The choice of model has implications for user services and for research into user-system interaction.