Snack - A social search system

Snack

a social search system

Overview

Snack is a health-focused social search tool. It is being designed with and for the Emory Predictive Health Institute.

Snack has two principal research directions within social search● Transitions: moving between large/anonymous groups

and small/known groups.

● Role support: interactions between diverse socio-professional roles and search roles.

Snackers

Snack has two primary users: Advisors and Clients.

Advisors are healthcare professionals (but not care providers). Snack helps advisors work together, collecting valuable health resources for their clients. Snack also helps advisors connect with and encourage their clients.

Clients are an advisor's 'patients'. Clients use Snack to guide their own health searches, and to reach out to their advisors.

Components

Web App Browser Extension

● User Accounts● Curated Information● Messaging● Search Challenges● Saved Searches● Dashboard

● Highlights● Saved Searches● Functionally equivalent,

install for your browser.

Web App

OverviewA collection of health information and meeting point for Advisors and Clients.

SpecsCreated with typical HTML and Javascript, accessed by any modern browser. Backed by a MySQL server, which serves as the link between the Web App and the Browser Extension. Likely employing a Content Management System like Drupal.● No mobile version planned

Web App

User AccountsAdvisor accounts will be setup manually. On initial Client sign-up, the Client inputs some required information.

● The Advisor they are paired with

● Health Interests○ Entered in the form of brief tags

■ Weight Loss, Stress, Yoga○ Advisors can see tags, number of people with each

tag to guide their own information seeking.○ Suggested starting point: Health Action Plan.

Web App

Curated InformationWeb resources gathered by Advisors. A resource includes the title, URL, advisor notes, tags as well as Q&A.

Publix Marathonwww.blahblah.com

A popular marathon in March, sign up early because

it fills up!Tags: Running, Atlanta,

Cardio, Exercise

Salt Cravingswww.blahblah.com

Hit salt cravings without wrecking a low-sodium diet.

Tags: Sodium, Recipes, Blood Pressure

My Net Diarywww.blahblah.com

An excellent calorie tracking tool that is easy to share.

Tags: Tools, Website, Diet, Diary, Free

● Clients can ask public questions about a resource

Web App

Browsing Curated InformationClients can explore and search the curated information in several ways.● An Advisor can explicitly share a resource with them

● Searching, via keyword and/or tag

● Browsing via a visualization

● Recommendations

Web App

MessagingGoogle Talk or alternative included for advisor-advisor and advisor-client messaging. We will explore both real-time and asynchronous messaging as well as video chat.

Web App

Search ChallengesPosted by one or more Advisors to encourage clients to share their health searching. A challenge begins with a description like 'best diet tracking tool', and also includes an Advisor's own resource as a starting point.● Searchable via tag or keyword, just like Curated Info

● Recommended to Clients based on tags, can also be explicitly suggested by an Advisor

● Responses may be public or private

Web App

Saved SearchesAny web resource may be saved and added to a personal, private saved search. These items can be added to the curated area (by Advisors), used as a response to a Search Challenge or (Clients), or shared in a private message (Advisors and Clients).● Like Curated Information, each item can include notes,

tags and comments

● Private unless shared

● Save resources via Browser Extension

Web App

DashboardA 'home page' for Advisors and overview of site activity● Tag yourself, then track activity in the repository on

information relevant to you

● See new questions, messages and challenge responses from Clients

● Client tags: in aggregate, what are your Clients most interested in? What are the most common groupings of tags amongst your clients?

Web App Overview

Advisor

Advisor

Messaging

Add to Collection

Advisor-Curated Information

Public

QuestionsPrivate

Questions

Answer

Client

Search Challenges

Create

AnswerView

Messaging

Saved Searches

AdvisorAdvisor Client

AskCreate &

Share

Add to Collection

Browser Extension

OverviewModifies the browsing experience based on Web App content, offering links back to the Web App. Install the version for whichever browser you prefer.

SpecsVersions will be developed for Chrome, Firefox and (if possible) Internet Explorer 8-9. ● No mobile version planned

Browser Extension

HighlightsItems present in the Web App's repository are highlighted on the page level and in search results pages for Google and Bing.● Quick links to post a question or view the item

● Search by tag: in-place filtering of results, a way of browsing the repository from within a web search

A - Highlights (information in Web App repository)B - TagsC - Filter by tag

Browser Extension

Saved SearchesSave resources to organize searches, to add to the Web App's Curated Repository (advisors), to respond to a search challenge (client), or to share.● One-click from any web page

● Quick link to view/manage saved searches will take users to the web app

Evaluation Tools

Instruments for evaluating Snack that may interact with users, but are not part of the system's functionality.● Browser extensions for tracking search history

● Logging of system actions○ Experience Sampling: in-situ mini surveys after

certain key actions

Snack System Overview

Advisor-Curated Information

.

Web App

Advisor

Advisor

Discuss Informat

ion

Add to Collection

Public Questions

Private Questions

Answer

Client

Video Chat

Messaging

Ask

Search Challenges

Ask

Answer View

Browser Extension

Highlight Curated Information

.Search Results Pages

View Highlights

AdvisorClient

Advisor

Client

View in Web App

Saved Searches

.Shared

Searches

AnswerClient

Save ItemShare with Advisor