Reference by Name vs. Location in a Computer Filing System

Abstract

The traditional name-based approach to storing and retrieving information in computers in now being supplemented on some systems by a spatial alternative – often driven by an office or desktop metaphor. These systems attempt to take advantage of the important role that location plays in retrieving objects in the real world (i.e. we must know where things are in order to retrieve them). This paper extends recent research by Jones and Dumais (1986) which used paper and pencil simulations to compare reference by name versus location. A computer filing system was developed in which folders could be stored and retrieved using combinations of location and name cues. Accuracy of location reference in a Location-only condition was initially comparable to that in a Name-only condition, but declined much more rapidly with increases in the number of objects. Adding location to name information did not improve retrieval accuracy, but was costly in terms of initial specification time. These results call into question the generality of spatial metaphors for information retrieval applications.