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[2602.21066] The Initial Exploration Problem in Knowledge Graph Exploration
Summary
This paper introduces the Initial Exploration Problem (IEP) in Knowledge Graphs, highlighting barriers faced by users during their first interaction with complex data structures.
Why It Matters
Understanding the IEP is crucial for improving user experience in Knowledge Graph exploration. By addressing the barriers of scope uncertainty, ontology opacity, and query incapacity, designers can create more intuitive interfaces that facilitate easier access to complex information for non-experts.
Key Takeaways
- The Initial Exploration Problem (IEP) presents unique challenges for users unfamiliar with Knowledge Graphs.
- Three main barriers characterize the IEP: scope uncertainty, ontology opacity, and query incapacity.
- Existing systems often fail to support users at first contact, necessitating better design strategies.
- The paper proposes a theoretical framework for evaluating and improving Knowledge Graph interfaces.
- Addressing the IEP can enhance user engagement and understanding of complex data structures.
Computer Science > Artificial Intelligence arXiv:2602.21066 (cs) [Submitted on 24 Feb 2026] Title:The Initial Exploration Problem in Knowledge Graph Exploration Authors:Claire McNamara, Lucy Hederman, Declan O'Sullivan View a PDF of the paper titled The Initial Exploration Problem in Knowledge Graph Exploration, by Claire McNamara and 2 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Knowledge Graphs (KGs) enable the integration and representation of complex information across domains, but their semantic richness and structural complexity create substantial barriers for lay users without expertise in semantic web technologies. When encountering an unfamiliar KG, such users face a distinct orientation challenge: they do not know what questions are possible, how the knowledge is structured, or how to begin exploration. This paper identifies and theorises this phenomenon as the Initial Exploration Problem (IEP). Drawing on theories from information behaviour and human-computer interaction, including ASK, exploratory search, information foraging, and cognitive load theory, we develop a conceptual framing of the IEP characterised by three interdependent barriers: scope uncertainty, ontology opacity, and query incapacity. We argue that these barriers converge at the moment of first contact, distinguishing the IEP from related concepts that presuppose an existing starting point or information goal. Analysing KG exploration interfaces at the level of interaction primitives, we...
