When Is Search Not Search?

Usability guru Dr. Jakob Nielsen tells us that our users have a firm mental model on search. The mental model includes a search box, a search button, and a list of results. In testing, people want search on every site to work like search on their favorite search engine (Google, Yahoo, and MSN).

Users also expect to type in a keyword or two. “In [a] recent search study, the mean query length was 2.0 words.” Search success rates also drop off drastically as users refine, from 51% on their first attempt, to 32% and 18% on their second and third attempts, respectively.

In the knowledge management and enterprise search space, most vendors are pushing natural language searches – completely different than the mental model Dr. Nielsen describes. Nielsen recommends that if that is the case, then do not make your search look like search, “…the label ‘Search’ equals keyword searching, not other types of search.”

Dr. Nielsen does not have a hard, fast rule to solving this problem, but he does recommend not using a “Search” button. Try instead using the word “Find” or “Retrieve.”

So, “When Is Search Not Search?” When you do not support keyword search.

Executing Knowledge Management

In my last post I ranted about my frustration within my organization in regard to knowledge management. I discussed some problems and gave a list of things required to make knowledge management successful. Since that time, I found a very good article from David Kay, Breakthrough Knowledge Management, that summarizes the Knowledge Centered Support (KCS) model.

Mr. Kay makes several great point when he discusses “Making the Transition” that have not occurred in my organization. The bolded items are where we need to go back and put more emphasis.

KCS requires a significant rethinking of knowledge, support processes, support staffers’ job descriptions, and rewards and recognition. It requires senior executive and management buy-in, a carefully executed communications plan, and an enabling technology platform. It generally requires help from experts outside the company. It’s not an initiative that should be taken lightly.

You can learn all about KCS from the Consortium for Service Innovation. Begin by reading their whitepaper, The KCS Operational Model.

This is a good reminder, we can all work hard to get our tools and systems to the next level, but if you do not have your content development model working, your web support site will still fail your customers.