Suresh Bhavnani: Research

Suresh K. Bhavnani

Center for Computational Medicine and Biology, Medical School
University of Michigan

Research Interests Understand Users The use of techniques from HCI, cognitive psychology, and anthropology to understand the difficulties users have in performing information-intensive tasks. Understand Information The use of statistical and graphical network analysis to understand regularities underlying large information collections. Build Systems Leverage an understanding of users and information to build useful and usable information systems, with a focus in the healthcare domain.
Understand Users
	Cognitive Analysis of Expert-Novice Search Strategies Analyzed the domain-specific search strategies used by experts and by novices to find online healthcare and shopping information. The results led to strategies needed by novice searchers to find accurate healthcare information (Bhavnani, 2001).
	Contextual Study of Patent Searchers Analyzed the collaborative search and sensmaking activities between patent searchers (in a tech transfer office), and inventors. The results led to design requirements for a system to support collaborative search and sensemaking (Bhavnani et al., 2008, in press).
	Contextual Study of Rural Indians Analyzed how rural Indians perceived computers and their uses. The results led to insights about the role of literacy in the perception of computer use, and methods to quickly elicit responses from farmers who have little or no exposure to computer devices (in preparation).
	Ethnographic Study of Architectural CAD Users Analyzed how professional architects performed real-world tasks using a CAD system. The results led to an understanding of why CAD systems are often used ineffectively, and to a small set of general and effective strategies to address that problem (Bhavnani et al., 1996).
	Computational Cognitive Model of Computer Interactions Used computational GOMS models to identify the knowledge required to use complex CAD systems. The results led to the design of Strategy-Based Instruction, which has been used to teach effective strategies to use computer applications in 3 universities to 400 students (Bhavnani & John, 2000).
Understand Information
	Scatter of Healthcare Information on the Web Analyzed patterns in the scatter of healthcare information on the Web. The results led to search strategies for finding comprehensive healthcare information, and to the Information Scatter model which proposes how information scatter occurs over time (Bhavnani, 2005).
	Network Visualization and Analysis of Chemicals and Symptoms Used networks to visualize and analyze toxic chemicals and acute symptoms. The results led to the design of algorithms and interfaces to help first-responders rapidly identify toxic chemicals in emergencies (Bhavnani et al., 2007).
Build Systems
	Strategy Hub: Design and Evaluation of Website for Cancer Patients Developed and evaluated the StrategyHub for Healthcare which provides expert search strategies to help novice searches find comprehensive healthcare information. The results led to design guidelines for providing online search procedures. (Bhavnani et al., 2006).
	GoogleBuddy: Development of a Social Computing System for Learning and Sharing Search Strategies Developed and evaluated GoogleBuddy to help users share and learn effective search strategies. The results are leading to insights for providing online search knowledge (in progress).
	ExpertTutor: Design, Development and Marketing of a Knowledge-Based System for Engineering Design Managed the design, development and marketing of ExpertTutor. The project involved interviewing finite-element modeling experts, formalizing their knowledge, and building the knowledge base and interface using object-oriented programming (Bhavnani, 1991).

bhavnani AT umich DOT edu