A tool for improving personalization and information sharing using implicit groups

Abstract-In this paper we discuss how the concept of implicitgroups is used to build and manage extended user profilesenabling an easier way to supply personalized features and/orinformation, and guide their dynamic updating. This approachextends the individual user profiles, which are explicitly definedby the user in typical interactive applications and environments,with additional information that reflects the interests,characteristics, and interaction patterns shared among users.Such extended data is implicitly and automatically obtainedthrough the analysis of the user behavior and the correspondinginteractions with the system and other users.We developed a tool (TIG) that enables the dynamic discoveryand management of new groups based on the generationof extended user profiles in interactive applications or environments.The main goal of the tool is to support the integrationof the above concept and its associated functionalities intoexisting or newly developed interactive applications. We discusshow the tool enables the integration of implicit groups intoan existing collaborative environment (Moodle), as a wayto provide extended functionalities for sharing informationaccording to the extended user profile. We discuss this extendedMoodle functionality and its use in a college campus applicationto spread information among students and teachers.