In the age of information overload, personal digital file organization and retrieval has been a longstanding problem. This is because the amount of information digital devices can hold is increasing and various cloud storage platforms that offer us nearly limitless amounts of data are marketed strongly to us. In contrast, the human capacity for managing and remembering digital information is limited. It also requires huge commitment and time for keeping track of digital items across multiple devices and platforms.
Based on the insights obtained from literature reviews and user interviews, important design implications and key “How might” questions were established, which guided me toward the final design solution, “Metadata-Enabled Personal Digital Archive Search Tool”.
Finally, this thesis project explores design opportunities of harnessing metadata to help non-expert digital item organizers actively modify file seeking and retrieval strategies. Metadata is information that describes the characteristics of other information, ranging from location, time, device, camera information, and so on. The opportunity of utilizing metadata is highlighted through some of the design features with the use of user scenarios.
With the final design suggestion, the study proposes several features and visual representations that would allow users to keep track of digital items in personal archives and modify their strategies in a more appropriate way for various situation. The final goal is creating user engagement into their file management and retrieval activities.