Net-Casting model an information seeking model for automated information seeking processes

Information seeking is the process or activity of attempting to obtain information in both human and technological contexts. So far, there is no existing information seeking model that faithfully describes automated information seeking processes, especially automated root cause analysis and diagnosis (RCAD) processes, which require minimal human supervision. Bate's Berry-picking model describes the interactive information seeking processes with intensive human supervision. This paper proposes a new model called Net-Casting Information Seeking Model to reflect automated information seeking processes. After identifying the commonalities among three traditional supervised information seeking models, we propose the new five-stage Net-Casting model should. The usefulness of the Net-Casting Model has been validated through RCAD case studies.