Today I came across an interesting blog post by Dan Zambonini entitled Museum Search: Recommendations. In it he talks about his analysis of museum web site search data and what he learned from looking at it, both in terms of trends and in terms of determining web site form and function.
I liked the post because it reflects the fact that in using a web site, your visitors are providing you with potential data, which, if you choose to capture it, can be taken and molded into enhancements that improve the usability of a site and encouraged prolonged use or, even better, repeat visits.
Dan makes some great points, all of which back up my own experience in working with search, and matching data whilst working at Last.fm. You really should take the time to read his brief post, but in outline the highlights the following points:
- Any search text entry field should readily accommodate the median length strength at least (and then some).
- Soundex, Levenstein or other such probabilistic matching techniques should be used to help smooth over typical typos, errors and misspellings. Even a library of miss-typed words could be used to speed up searches.
- Advanced search functionality needn’t be brought to the fore. Open up such functionality, only as required, and certainly only in the background, as an option, given that few site visitors will use it.
- Pre-load popular search terms to help speed up the search process for a sizable number of your site visitors.
- Use client-side validation techniques to help streamline the search strings before submitting them to the database, taking up valuable database resource by prolonging queries. Definitely a consideration on popular sites.
All valid points and ones which I would whole-heartedly agree with. They underline the need to ensure for an optimal experience. To my mind in developing search you need provide for the following:
- Speed – Any techniques that help decrease time spent search, from web service calls to pre-loaded and popular searches improves the experience. The long tail is great, but the reality is that 9 times out of 10 people will be searching for the same, or similar things.
- Accuracy – Smooth over the cracks. That is to say, use whatever means to help match typos etc. whilst at the same time, use best matches, direct hits and other means to send searchers to the desired page rather than a results page, with a possible link back to the results if the chosen result is not the one they wanted.
- Usability – Whatever you do, provide use logic in the process, and make it easy to understand for users as well as easily readable. Auto-fill should be split into sections as necessary, such as collection, exhibitions, etc. much like on a results page. Simplicity is required, because people will likely make a beeline straight for the search box once they hit your site.
Even with a strong navigation, which every site should have, site visitors will use search, and you should treat it as part of the navigation of your web site. Search isn’t just for people who are lost, it’s the clever site user’s means by which to get from A-to-B in a single click or so.
Anyhow, thanks to Dan for sharing a nice summary and info-graphic of his research of the search data.
Web-head & art collector, living in East London and huffing on the fumes of the planet since '78. Here are my thoughts.
Dan Zambonini Jun 5, 2010
“Speed, Accuracy, Usability” – a great summary of search priorities; nicely put!