Co-located Collaborative Web Search: Understanding Status Quo Practices

Co-located collaborative Web search is a surprisingly common activity, despite the fact that Web browsers and search engines are not designed to support collaboration. We report the findings of two studies (a diary study and an observational study) that provide insights regarding the frequency of co-located collaborative searching, the strategies participants use, and the pros and cons of these strategies. We then articulate design implications for next-generation tools that could enhance the experience of co-located collaborative search.