Information gathering within websites: Visualized links for navigation (VLN)

The fundamental model for Web navigation has not changed much since the beginning of the development of Hypertext and Web search engines. Current browsing allows users to search by formulating queries, entering known URLs, and by navigation by following links embedded in webpages. Considerable research has focused on navigation mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of the process of finding relevant information. This paper examines a method for navigating using a technique based on presenting a view of a website as a tree of augmented links that the user can utilize in information gathering tasks. A user study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this technique. The results of the study indicate that the visualized tree-based presentation technique is effective and has potential to complement traditional query formulation to provide a more effective browsing experience for users.