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Enterprise Search - How to triage problems quickly and prescribe the right medicine

Enterprise Search - How to triage problems quickly and prescribe the right medicine. (I’m 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

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Enterprise Search - How to triage problems quickly and prescribe the right medicine

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  1. Enterprise Search -How to triage problems quickly and prescribe the right medicine Helen Lippell @octodude

  2. (I’m 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 isn’t what they need it to be

  3. Agenda • Methodology for triaging search problems • Emphasis on workability

  4. Start from where you are

  5. “Search is rubbish!” • What’s the perception? • What’s not working? • Who says so? • Users • Senior management • Other stakeholders • Noisy stakeholders

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

  7. 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 Content creation Information management Search tech management

  8. User needs • Content • User interface • Technology • People and process

  9. 1. User needs

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

  11. 2. Content

  12. Garbage in, garbage out? • Content audit • Duplicates • Redundant, outdated, trivial content • Start with a small representative sample • Do some quick searches for content howlers: • “loremipsum” • “title goes here” • “deletethis” •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

  13. 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?

  14. 3. User interface

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

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

  17. 4. Technology

  18. 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

  19. 5. People and process

  20. 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 it’s not a big grumblefest

  21. Prescription • You can do triage quickly • Prioritiseareas 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

  22. Thanks helenlippell@gmail.com @octodude

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