Enterprise Search - How to triage problems quickly and prescribe the right medicine Search Solutions 27 Nov 2013 Helen

(Im probably preaching to the converted) Search is important Search is evolving Big Data Structured data and semantics Search tools for business intelligence Rise of open-source But for many users, enterprise search still isnt what they need it to be

Agenda Methodology for triaging search problems Emphasis on workability

Start from where you are

Search is rubbish! Whats the perception? Whats not working? Who says so? Users Senior management Other stakeholders Noisy stakeholders

Who owns Search? IT Communications Editorial Library services Someone else None of the above, its a political football Who owns the data (and where is it)? Who owns the technology? Who, if anyone, is actually accountable?

Where to start Set realistic expectations for the work Support user journeys across digital channels (and offline, if relevant) Great search is blend of disciplines Information management Search tech management Content creation

1.User needs 2.Content 3.User interface 4.Technology 5.People and process

1. User needs

Data, data and more data Get query logs Analyse them Repeat… User intent Initially focus on a big hit Then make the process sustainable

2. Content

Garbage in, garbage out? Content audit Duplicates Redundant, outdated, trivial content Start with a small representative sample Do some quick searches for content howlers: lorem ipsum title goes here deletethis Arial bold 14 Metadata Minimum to aim for: good page titles and descriptions/summaries Tagging for different user groups Date, author etc

Search is not an island Search within wider information ecosystem Information architecture Other navigation tools such as A-Z index Easy to search from anywhere?

3. User interface

Search UI Many excellent design resources out there – read them!

Focus on quick wins Seek out guerilla user feedback Eliminate clutter Review information on each result Facets and filters

4. Technology

Search platform How easy is it to tinker with? Has it been configured optimally? Is the config documented and understood? Set up test environment Benchmark often

5. People and process

Hearts and minds Ongoing quality management Accountability Dedicated people resource Regular editorial and tech tasks Co-ordination across teams Support and guidance to content authors Stakeholder workshops Moans may be the best feedback …as long as its not a big grumblefest

Prescription You can do triage quickly Prioritise areas for action Identify recommendations Delineate quick wins and longer term strategy Quick wins to stabilise and restore confidence Iterate often and shout about improvements Strategy and culture change take longer If search is very political, consider getting an outside perspective