Intelligently guiding search based on user dialog

A computer-readable storage device having computer- executable instructions encoded thereon, which when executed at a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

• receiving and processing one or more web queries;
• navigating a search domain classified by a topic cluster based at least on the one or more web queries;
• refining the one or more web queries iteratively via user interaction with a machine learning and reasoning system employing the topic, wherein the topic cluster represents relationships between topics associated with the one or more web queries, and
• wherein the user interaction with the machine learning and reasoning system comprises:
• inferring items of interest by generating one or more questions and receiving one or more user answers from one or more users to the one or more questions;
• modifying a heuristic rule pertaining to the search domain classified by the topic cluster based at least on knowledge learned from the inferring the items of interest using the one or more user answers provided by the one or more users to the one or more questions to generate a modified heuristic rule;
• and
• modifying one or more of the web queries to generate a modified query based at least on the items of interest, the modified heuristic rule, and a navigated position in the topic cluster.

A web query refinement method comprising the following computer-implemented acts:

• receiving a search query;
• navigating a search domain classified by a topic hierarchy or a topic cluster based on the search query;
• inferring items of interest by generating a series of one or more questions and receiving answers to the series of one or more questions from a particular user;
• modifying a heuristic rule pertaining to the search domain classified by the topic hierarchy or the topic cluster based at least on knowledge learned from inferring the items of interest using the answers received from the particular user for the series of one or more questions to generate a modified heuristic rule;
• and
• modifying the search query to generate a modified search query based at least on the items of interest, the modified heuristic rule, and a navigated position in the topic hierarchy or the topic cluster.