![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/www.nimeyo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/image.png\")
<\/a>So the question is why do enterprise search engines do such a poor job at engaging users whereas search outside of the corporate firewalls are part of our daily lives?\nAlthough there are number of technical reasons, we believe the key problem is a \u201clack of user-orientation\u201d. In other words, these solutions are neither attuned to the actual needs of the end users nor they understand the data itself in a meaningful way to be able to serve it in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take few examples \u2013<\/p>\n
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- Content and Users:<\/strong> Search engines\u2019 key strength is in indexing wide ranging data types \u2013 web pages, documents, CRM systems etc. So when user searches with few keywords, search engines define success by uncovering wide-ranging data in a sequential manner based on some ranking criteria.However, not all data types are created equal. For instance, email communications are a lot more meta-data rich and time-relevant compared to documents. If used intelligently, such data specific analysis can be immensely useful in understanding how row communication relates to the end user needs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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- User interface:<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0Needless to say, we all are used to typing a simple search query (or question where there is a unique answer \u2013 e.g. \u201cFather\u2019s day 2015\u201d) and expecting search engine to return \u201csatisfactory\u201d results. However, in a corporate context, this model is highly limiting as any one article or document is unlikely to provide a comprehensive answer in most real world scenarios.For example, when a sales rep gets into a competitive situation, a query like\u00a0\u201cMyCompany vs MyCompetitor\u201d<\/em>\u00a0should surface variety of information including product differentiation, pricing, and nuggets from other similar situations. All these pieces are equally important to put together a competitive tactic to win the opportunity. A linear listing of results based on uniform ranking criteria does not do justice to needs of that sales rep.A UI that allows users to navigate through these various pieces in a consistent manner and \u201cassist\u201d in creating a cohesive picture would be much more effective in creating engaging user experience.And finally,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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- User preferences and behaviors:<\/strong> In most of our enterprise search experience, presentation of results is \u201cblack magic\u201d. Let\u2019s say you searched for some information today, worked through the hits and were fortunate to find what you were looking for at the 20th<\/sup> You had to put the effort but you found what you were looking for!Unfortunately, say a month from now, if you are looking for the similar information through a similar query, you would still find the information deep down in the ranking.If solutions allowed ways to capture user preferences \u2013 expressed implicitly and explicitly \u2013 it would be able to return results that are a lot more aligned with what the end user needs are.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
We at Nimeyo believe that to achieve the true potential of enterprise search, we need to stop viewing it through the prism of consumer search technologies.<\/p>\n
To fulfill the promise, enterprise search products must understand not just who the user is and what role she performs in the organization but also identify optimal mechanism through which to deliver knowledge to the employee.<\/p>\n
- User preferences and behaviors:<\/strong> In most of our enterprise search experience, presentation of results is \u201cblack magic\u201d. Let\u2019s say you searched for some information today, worked through the hits and were fortunate to find what you were looking for at the 20th<\/sup> You had to put the effort but you found what you were looking for!Unfortunately, say a month from now, if you are looking for the similar information through a similar query, you would still find the information deep down in the ranking.If solutions allowed ways to capture user preferences \u2013 expressed implicitly and explicitly \u2013 it would be able to return results that are a lot more aligned with what the end user needs are.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- User interface:<\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0Needless to say, we all are used to typing a simple search query (or question where there is a unique answer \u2013 e.g. \u201cFather\u2019s day 2015\u201d) and expecting search engine to return \u201csatisfactory\u201d results. However, in a corporate context, this model is highly limiting as any one article or document is unlikely to provide a comprehensive answer in most real world scenarios.For example, when a sales rep gets into a competitive situation, a query like\u00a0\u201cMyCompany vs MyCompetitor\u201d<\/em>\u00a0should surface variety of information including product differentiation, pricing, and nuggets from other similar situations. All these pieces are equally important to put together a competitive tactic to win the opportunity. A linear listing of results based on uniform ranking criteria does not do justice to needs of that sales rep.A UI that allows users to navigate through these various pieces in a consistent manner and \u201cassist\u201d in creating a cohesive picture would be much more effective in creating engaging user experience.And finally,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n