Building Channels of Dialogue Between Information Systems and Information Users: An Investigation to Information Situation and Information Gap

This research explores the possibility of building a simulating channel of dialogue between information systems and information users. By keeping the two-way dialogue, the information system is able to understand the information users’ seeking behavior, goals and motivations, and the users’ information problems per se. Using Dervin’s sense-making model, this study tries to investigate the user’s situational needs and problems before and after in getting access to the electronic government portal of Taiwan. By analyzing users’ self-evaluation including users’ information situations, problems, and gaps, a better and more powerful information system in understanding users’ information problems can be developed.