Web Analysis and User Modeling

To engineer contemporary information systems in a Web that is highly adaptive and personal, it is essential to 'understand' the usage and users of these systems. In the research on Web Analytics and User Modeling the challenge is to develop theories, methods and techniques to diagnose and understand how systems are used. This includes modeling users of a system based on what they do on the Web, inside or outside of the system, for the purpose of the subsequent design or configuration of the system.

The fields of analytics and user modeling are facing brand new challenges in contemporary information systems, because of the nature and type of the data available for modeling, e.g. big data, semi-structured data, user-generated data

The WIS group has in user modeling specialized in analyzing and modeling on the Social Web.

Research Activities

Examples of relevant research activities:

  • ImREAL - Augmenting user models with real-world information in training and learning
  • U-Sem - Holistic User Modeling on the Social Semantic Web
  • TweetUM - Analyzing and modeling user behavior on Twitter for recommending trending news on the Social Web
  • Twitcident - Using relevant tweets during big incidents 
  • GUMF - Cross-system user modeling in adaptive systems
  • Data Bridges - Smart user data services in digital cities
  • CrossUM - Cross-system User Modeling on the Social Semantic Web

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This research is inspired by the question "How can information systems know their users?": How can the software of web-based information systems know who their users and their relevant properties are in order to adapt to them and make the information exchange fitting for the users?