Engineering and the manner in which engineers think is largely visual and functional, and yet engineers are typically provided with search engines that are text-based. While software based on a visual and functional ethos exist (CAD for example), when searching for information engineers are still required to enter a text query into a search box. This process holds potential incompatibilities both with the nature of the data (i.e. 3D models) and with the way in which engineers think and work. Consequentially, the proposition tested in this paper is that a model-based approach to information access, i.e. a representation of an organisations information around a model of an artefact i.e. CAD model, can improve engineering information retrieval.

In an A-B test with a traditional text-based search engine, and using study questions derived from real-world information seeking scenarios based on the activities of a world-leading aircraft manufacturer, the results presented in this paper suggest that there is merit to such an approach. Specifically, this paper shows that there is no significant difference in time to complete a search between a model-based and text-based interfaces in spite of the addition of a new stage in the search process (navigating a 3D model); that the system structure of the model-based interface allows for non-text based documents to be indexed, making up for the inherent limitations in traditional text-based search; and that participants enjoy using the model-based interface and find it intuitive, easy and simple to use. Further, this paper also finds that those with more experience/familiar with the product structure and those in managerial positions are more likely to find information using a model-based interface that those who are not, who perform better using a text-based interface.

工程和工程师的思考方式在很大程度上是视觉和功能上的，但是工程师通常会使用基于文本的搜索引擎。尽管存在基于视觉和功能精神的软件（例如CAD），但是在搜索信息时，工程师仍然需要在搜索框中输入文本查询。此过程可能与数据的性质（即3D模型）以及工程师的思维和工作方式不兼容。因此，本文测试的命题是，基于模型的信息访问方法（即围绕人工模型（即CAD模型）的组织信息表示）可以改善工程信息检索。

在使用传统的基于文本的搜索引擎进行的AB测试中，并使用根据世界领先的飞机制造商的活动从现实世界中寻求信息的情景得出的研究问题，本文提出的结果表明，这种做法是有价值的一种方法。具体来说，本文表明，尽管在搜索过程中增加了一个新阶段（导航3D模型），但是在基于模型的界面和基于文本的界面之间完成搜索的时间没有显着差异。基于模型的界面的系统结构允许索引非基于文本的文档，从而弥补了传统基于文本的搜索的固有局限性；参与者喜欢使用基于模型的界面，并发现它直观，易于使用。进一步，