Group Memory Based on the Task Information

A group memory of a project is an information space storing the documents produced and exchanged by members of the group, which may include the electronic discussions that took place during the life of the project. Accessing the information in the group memory using a traditional text search method is not always effective as the relationship between the documents and emails (for example the context) is often missing. This paper explores the effectiveness of navigating a group memory using task information as a means for structuring the information space. In this research, we use Topic Maps as a knowledge representation formalism for our group memory. We have conducted a research experiment comparing the effectiveness of navigating a group memory using a Topic Map generated directly from both the group email archive with navigating the same group memory using a Topic Map generated from the task model (the model of the project activity the group was engaged in) and the group email archive.