The TrailTRECer Framework: Applying Open Hypermedia Concepts to Trails

Being lost in space and overloaded with information are two key problems users are confronted with, when searching for appropriate information. Trails built from information about the users’ browsing paths and activities, are an established approach to assist users in navigating vast information spaces. However, existing trailbased systems are focusing on browsers only and therefore do not fully exploit the notion of trails. The TrailTRECer framework addresses these issues by being open to any application and any activity. The usability of the framework and the concept of user trails were tested by building a navigation support system with different trail-enabled clients.