How to Make Search Work
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The document discusses enterprise search and findability. It shares results from a 2013 enterprise search and findability survey which found that most organizations struggle with finding information due to issues like inconsistent tagging, not knowing where to look, and poor search functionality. The document recommends seven things to improve enterprise search: installing the right search engine; appointing a search manager; getting help from search experts; designing a modern interface; using metadata; getting feedback; and ensuring the search strategy includes more than just intranet search.
How to Make Search Work
- 1. ENTERPRISE SEARCH How practitioners make search work
- 2. Who am I? • I only do Findability • 7 years of search experience • Various roles
- 4. Information that cannot be found has ZERO value!
- 5. ENTERPRISE SEARCH AND FINDABILITY SURVEY 2013
- 7. What is your level of satisfaction with the existing search applications within your organisation?
- 8. very or mostly satisfied 19%
- 9. Do you have a search strategy in place?
- 10. yes 24% planning to in 2013/14 38%
- 11. What are the obstacles to finding the right information?
- 12. 64% Inconsistency in how we tag content 64% Don’t know where to look 54% Lack of adequate tags 53% Poor search functionality
- 13. Search lessens need for structure AND enables findability
- 14. WHAT CAN WE DO? 7 things I recommend
- 15. Install the right search engine Sit back and watch the magic
- 16. Appoint a search manager* * 61% of S & VS have more than 1 FTE
- 17. Get help from search experts
- 18. Design a modern interface
- 19. Metadata* – use it! * 73 % of S & VS have metadata standard, 47% use taxonomies
- 20. Get feedback* * 82% of S&VS have feedback functionality
- 21. It is not about intranet search
- 22. Recap Why search and survey results • We are information hoarders • We struggle with organising • We struggle with finding • Our survey show most organisations struggle, you are most likely not an exception
- 23. • Adapt the search engine to your needs • Design a modern user friendly interface • Add Metadata • Appoint a search manager • Hire or contract search expert(s) • Get feedback • Your search strategy should include more than intranet search Recap What to do
Editor's Notes
- #2: I am going toconvinceyouwhyyoushouldinvest in search and howto make it work. That shouldn’t take 20 minutes now should it? Please take questions at the end
- #3: I work for a company called Findwise, we only do search, or Findability as we like to call. I have been there for 7 years working in various roles. I moved from Sweden last year and I think you can tell why from the pictures.
- #4: Have you seen the tv-show hoarders? We are all hoarders when it comes to information, and we spend a lot of time and money doing it. We never throw anything away. And we aren’t very good at keeping order either. And you know what?
- #6: A unique survey because it focuses on practitioners, not consultants or vendors. I will go through a few of the results, the report is available for free soon
- #7: 95 % thinksearchable informationwillincrease
- #11: Planning To Make A Plan Is Not A Plan
- #15: Big and small – my tips.
- #16: No!!!Thisdoes not work. Search engines do not know your users, your content or your organisation.
- #17: From the survey – the verysatisfiedhave 1-2 FTE:sworkingwithsearch. Make someoneresponsible for search
- #18: This tip is admittedly extraordinarly biased, but it is still true. Just because someone is expert on a CMS like SharePoint system, does not mean they know search. Good search requires specific technical, information management and usability knowledge to get the effects you want. Make sure that they know how to work with the technology, a lot of ”search experts” just do a basic install.
- #19: Autosuggestion, spell check and facetsare a must to guide the user. Is anyone not clear on facets? Amazon or gumtree is a great example of using facets. Result presentations should be clear and include a descriptionof the hit as well as metadata, such as section and date in thiscase.
- #20: Search engines can go a long way to find structure in your content, but there’s nothing like good old metadata.Make sure to configure the search engine to use the informatoin architecture in your intranet, for facets, result presentation and more.
- #21: This one is something that can be done with less effort. Even a email link will do. Don’t direct it to a general support list, make sure the cases are taken care of by someone who cares. This can turn unhappy users to ambassadors.
- #22: Or web search, or peoplesearch or documentsearch. It is about making starting a long term journey towards using search to deliver information to your users in the context they need it. Intranet search is still a great first step though.
- #25: Read more about the survey at the Findwise blog