Improving Internet Search

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Searching for Understanding: Improving Internet Search

I. Why We Search

Search is not an end in itself. We search on the internet to find. Unless we experience searching and finding as entertaining in itself, we want to find things in order to make decisions or take actions. What are prerequisites to making decisions or taking actions? Therein lies a key to improving internet search.

I claim that decisions and actions require the formulation of a coherent worldview, in which the decision or action is a natural consequence of that worldview. In other words, decision making -- such as making a purchase on the internet -- involves

acquiring new knowledge

integrating that new knowledge into our prior knowledge

creating a 'mental picture' of all the elements, trade-offs

and, most importantly, understanding how we fit in that world, how we see ourselves in the worldview we have made

Subsequent sections of this page probe more deeply into this approach. Section II addresses the specific confidences needed to make a purchase. Section III argues that knowledge modeling will be a necessary part of an improved search experience.

II. Three phases of user shopping confidence

One useful view of the 'shopping experience' comprises 'layers of user confidence':

confidence that I understand enough about the domain AND MYSELF in
that domain [the meaning I make of it, including my values and
priorities] to look into possible products

confidence that I understand enough about the POSSIBLE PRODUCTS to
choose one, and

confidence that I understand enough about vendor choices and price
options to choose where to buy

In an important sense, EVERYTHING about product purchase on the web
comes down to those levels of confidence, and helping the user move from
one to another. therein lies monetization.

Here is a larger pictorial representation.

III. Why knowledge modeling is key to improving search

So much is written about search, its present state of wonderfulness and its bright future. Absent is a structure or argument as to how the problems with current search -- ambiguity, inefficiency, complexity, and not finding what you want -- will be solved. The following constitutes an argument for the necessary role of knowledge modeling in improving search:

as users, we search in order to find, and we find in order to learn and to act

to learn or act intelligently, we need to construct a coherent worldview based on the new information we find

constructing a worldview is hard work -- subtle, complex, often ineffable

constructing a worldview is most efficient when it's a 'conversation' -- an interaction that accounts for prior knowledge, creates a relationship and history, supports comprehension, yet keeps evolving and converging toward the goal of learning or acting

a useful conversation is impossible without a shared history. search engines can't hold personalized conversations (a.k.a. respond more specifically to the individual) until they know an individual's worldview

worldview = evolving knowledge model

web content = existing knowledge model

shared history = shared models

Q.E.D.

Related Links

Materials related to Internet Search.

Summary page. Approaches to 'user experience', philosophy and implementations.

© Copyright Paul Pangaro 2005. All Rights Reserved.

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Searching for Understanding: Improving Internet Search I. Why We Search Search is not an end in itself. We search on the internet to find. Unless we experience searching and finding as entertaining in itself, we want to find things in order to make decisions or take actions. What are prerequisites to making decisions or taking actions? Therein lies a key to improving internet search. I claim that decisions and actions require the formulation of a coherent worldview, in which the decision or action is a natural consequence of that worldview. In other words, decision making -- such as making a purchase on the internet -- involves acquiring new knowledge integrating that new knowledge into our prior knowledge creating a 'mental picture' of all the elements, trade-offs and, most importantly, understanding how we fit in that world, how we see ourselves in the worldview we have made Subsequent sections of this page probe more deeply into this approach. Section II addresses the specific confidences needed to make a purchase. Section III argues that knowledge modeling will be a necessary part of an improved search experience. II. Three phases of user shopping confidence One useful view of the 'shopping experience' comprises 'layers of user confidence': confidence that I understand enough about the domain AND MYSELF in that domain [the meaning I make of it, including my values and priorities] to look into possible products confidence that I understand enough about the POSSIBLE PRODUCTS to choose one, and confidence that I understand enough about vendor choices and price options to choose where to buy In an important sense, EVERYTHING about product purchase on the web comes down to those levels of confidence, and helping the user move from one to another. therein lies monetization. Here is a larger pictorial representation. III. Why knowledge modeling is key to improving search So much is written about search, its present state of wonderfulness and its bright future. Absent is a structure or argument as to how the problems with current search -- ambiguity, inefficiency, complexity, and not finding what you want -- will be solved. The following constitutes an argument for the necessary role of knowledge modeling in improving search: as users, we search in order to find, and we find in order to learn and to act to learn or act intelligently, we need to construct a coherent worldview based on the new information we find constructing a worldview is hard work -- subtle, complex, often ineffable constructing a worldview is most efficient when it's a 'conversation' -- an interaction that accounts for prior knowledge, creates a relationship and history, supports comprehension, yet keeps evolving and converging toward the goal of learning or acting a useful conversation is impossible without a shared history. search engines can't hold personalized conversations (a.k.a. respond more specifically to the individual) until they know an individual's worldview worldview = evolving knowledge model web content = existing knowledge model shared history = shared models Q.E.D. Related Links Materials related to Internet Search. Summary page. Approaches to 'user experience', philosophy and implementations.

© Copyright Paul Pangaro 2005. All Rights Reserved.