1. UWS005 – Alternative Search Engine Investigation
Data Source Owners Discussion
Craig Middlemass
University Website Programme
13 November 2012

2. Agenda Introduction to UWS005
Information Architecture and Strategy - NEW
Use Cases for improved searches
Discussion on current search tools
Next Steps

3. Why have we started
2010 Survey Results – 26% of staff think the search is “not good” or “awful”
Search results are not always what the user is looking for
2nd most accessed page following the University homepage
No consistent approach to Information Architecture
Cookie legislation meant we had to change
Review stats from the project proposal (mean position of wanted search results is 6.3 in the list, 26% of staff don’t link the current site, 2nd top page in UoE)
Opportunity presented by cookie legisation, we need to adopt a paid for cookie-less search so might as well make the most of a paid for service

4. What the project is about
Investigation
What is out there
What do we think we’ll use
How does it work
Recommendation
What’s best practice / strategy for the University
Costing
How much (staff and financial)

5. Information Architecture (IA) and Strategy
What do UWS do (Top 200)
Do you manage content?
Do your users need to find information easily?
Do you manage a search engine?
Yes? Then you could benefit from having an Information Architecture and Strategy
Transparency of tools and how they fit the strategy.
Top 200 searches entered and map authorative content to ensure that is displayed to search users next time
It is proposed that the University aspires to:
Deliver more useful results to website users more quickly
Prioritise results to promote University strategic objectives
Prioritise development and curation of content based on user demand illustrated in search term logs

6. What’s On Offer – Auto Population / Auto Correct
Presents lists of indexed content as suggestions
Automated tools, easy to switch on but can provide unregulated results
Security consideration is ensuring that secure content is not index and presented as part of autopopulation
Identifies mis-keying and presents suggested correction

7. What’s On Offer – Synonyms
Driven by administrator input can re-point users to relevant content based on associated search terms
Require input of synonyms and maintenance not a one off job

8. What’s On Offer – Spotlight and Boost and Bury
Added by administrators spotlight can highlight key search results
Requires management of spotlights – again not a one of jobs
Some providers offer heavy boost and bury which allows content to be promoted above the normal weightings
Boosted Results
Buried
Results

9. What’s On Offer – Faceting and Filtering
Allow separation and refinement of search results, rather than searching again

10. What’s On Offer – Dashboards and Widgets
Full dashboard or elements (widgets) can be embedded in other sites and searches

11. What’s On Offer – Structured and Unstructured Searches
Now more than just web content can be connected to an indexing service to provide search results to drive the main university website as well as used in other microsites.
Security consideration when connecting to data sources to ensure secure content is not indexed or presented to searches

12. What do you use What searches do you use
What’s good and what’s bad about them
How can we get you involved in the future
Is there anything you really want from a search engine

13. Next Steps The Business Case must include Procure or Enhance?
A clear recommendation about which technology should be used
How much it will cost to run the service on an on-going basis (technical cost)
A viable process for how the search could be managed in a devolved editorial environment
How much it will cost for continuous editorial maintenance (business cost)
Procure or Enhance?
Get the community involved

14. THANKS
Any last questions? Project Website