IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jinfst/v74y2023i4p383-387.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Information seeking by experimentation: Trying something out to discover what happens

Author

Listed:
  • Morten Hertzum

Abstract

Experimentation is the process of trying something out to discover what happens. It is a widespread information practice, yet often bypassed in information‐behavior research. This article argues that experimentation complements prior knowledge, documents, and people as an important fourth class of information sources. Relative to the other classes, the distinguishing characteristics of experimentation are that it is a personal—as opposed to interpersonal—source and that it provides “backtalk.” When the information seeker tries something out and then attends to the resulting situation, it is as though the materials of the situation talk back: They provide the information seeker with a situated and direct experience of the consequences of the tried‐out options. In this way, experimentation involves obtaining information by creating it. It also involves turning material and behavioral processes into information interactions. Thereby, information seeking by experimentation is important to practical information literacy and extends information‐behavior research with new insights on the interrelations between creating and seeking information.

Suggested Citation

  • Morten Hertzum, 2023. "Information seeking by experimentation: Trying something out to discover what happens," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(4), pages 383-387, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jinfst:v:74:y:2023:i:4:p:383-387
    DOI: 10.1002/asi.24740
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24740
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/asi.24740?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kyungwon Koh & John T. Snead & Kun Lu, 2019. "The processes of maker learning and information behavior in a technology‐rich high school class," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 70(12), pages 1395-1412, December.
    2. Rebekah Willson & Heidi Julien & Gary Burnett, 2022. "JASIS&T special issue on information behavior and information practices theory," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(4), pages 491-493, April.
    3. Ian Ruthven, 2022. "An information behavior theory of transitions," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(4), pages 579-593, April.
    4. Árni Már Einarsson & Morten Hertzum, 2021. "How do makers obtain information for their makerspace projects?," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(12), pages 1528-1544, December.
    5. Jyoti Mishra & David Allen & Alan Pearman, 2015. "Information seeking, use, and decision making," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 66(4), pages 662-673, April.
    6. Steven Callander, 2011. "Searching and Learning by Trial and Error," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(6), pages 2277-2308, October.
    7. Isto Huvila, 2022. "Making and taking information," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 73(4), pages 528-541, April.
    8. von Hippel, Eric & Tyre, Marcie J., 1995. "How learning by doing is done: problem identification in novel process equipment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 1-12, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ben Klemens, 2021. "Attributing Value to Patents and Trademarks in Complex Production Chains," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(2), pages 842-875, June.
    2. Marijel Melo & Laura March & Kimberly Hirsh & Emily Arnsberg, 2023. "Description framework of makerspaces: Examining the relationship between spatial arrangement and diverse user populations," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 74(5), pages 506-516, May.
    3. Agathe Gilain & Pascal Le Masson & Benoit Weil, 2018. "Managing Learning Curves In The Unknown: From ‘Learning By Doing’ To ‘Learning By Designing’," Post-Print hal-01900961, HAL.
    4. Arie Y Lewin & Silvia Massini & Carine Peeters, 2020. "Absorptive capacity, socially enabling mechanisms, and the role of learning from trial and error experiments: A tribute to Dan Levinthal’s contribution to international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1568-1579, December.
    5. Benjamin Davies, 2024. "Estimating sample paths of Gauss-Markov processes from noisy data," Papers 2404.00784, arXiv.org.
    6. Von Hippel, Eric A. & Katz, Ralph, 2002. "Shifting Innovation to Users Via Toolkits," Working papers 4232-02, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    7. Cujean, Julien & Bustamante, Maria Cecilia & Frésard, Laurent, 2019. "Knowledge Cycles and Corporate Investment," CEPR Discussion Papers 14152, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Nanditha Mathew & George Paily, 2022. "STI-DUI innovation modes and firm performance in the Indian capital goods industry: Do small firms differ from large ones?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 435-458, April.
    9. Doruk Cetemen & Can Urgun & Leeat Yariv, 2023. "Collective Progress: Dynamics of Exit Waves," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(9), pages 2402-2450.
    10. Anand, Kartik & Gai, Prasanna & König, Philipp Johann, 2020. "Leaping into the dark: A theory of policy gambles," Discussion Papers 07/2020, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    11. J H Chen & T S Jan, 2005. "A system dynamics model of the semiconductor industry development in Taiwan," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 56(10), pages 1141-1150, October.
    12. Mathew, Nanditha & Paily, George, 2020. "STI-DUI innovation modes and firm performance in the Indian capital goods industry: Do small firms differ from large ones?," MERIT Working Papers 2020-008, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    13. Maloney,William F. & Zambrano,Andrés, 2021. "Learning to Learn : Experimentation, Entrepreneurial Capital, and Development," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9890, The World Bank.
    14. Morelli, Massimo & Foarta, Dana, 2020. "Equilibrium Reforms and Endogenous Complexity," CEPR Discussion Papers 15136, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. Andreas Bernecker & Pierre C. Boyer & Christina Gathmann, 2021. "The Role of Electoral Incentives for Policy Innovation: Evidence from the US Welfare Reform," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(2), pages 26-57, May.
    16. Paul M. Leonardi, 2014. "Social Media, Knowledge Sharing, and Innovation: Toward a Theory of Communication Visibility," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 25(4), pages 796-816, December.
    17. Natalie Pang & Stan Karanasios & Misita Anwar, 2020. "Exploring the Information Worlds of Older Persons During Disasters," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 71(6), pages 619-631, June.
    18. Gilberto SERAVALLI, 2011. "Conflict, Contract, Leadership and Innovation: An Interdisciplinary View," Journal of Knowledge Management, Economics and Information Technology, ScientificPapers.org, vol. 1(6), pages 1-48, October.
    19. Ibert, Oliver & Müller, Felix C., 2015. "Network dynamics in constellations of cultural differences: Relational distance in innovation processes in legal services and biotechnology," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 181-194.
    20. Pattravadee Ploykitikoon & Charles M. Weber, 2019. "Knowledge Pathways and Performance: An Empirical Study of the National Laboratories in a Technology Latecomer Country," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(03), pages 1-37, May.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jinfst:v:74:y:2023:i:4:p:383-387. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.asis.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.