What you can not find does not exist. Enterprise search and the importance of analytics.

1. Intrateam Event
Copenhagen - February 2015
What you
can not find,
does not
exist …

2. What you can not find, does not exist …
What you do find, maybe you shouldn’t see
And it’s not always easy to know what the user wants
Actual search hit
from the public
web site
”I just want to find everything that
is relevant to me at the moment.”
(Answer from a user interview during the feasibility study)

3. Enterprise Search at Chalmers
Andreas Hallgren
Digital communication and online channels
Chalmers University of Technology
CONTACT: andreas.hallgren@chalmers.se TWITTER @hallgren ... Or search for me on chalmers.se...

4. Chalmers University of Technology
 Located in Gothenburg, Sweden
 Founded in 1829
 Private, foundation owned, university in 1994
 18 departments,
working within 8 key areas of advance:
• Built Environment
• Energy
• Information and Communication Technology
• Life Science
• Materials Science
• Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
• Production
• Transportation
 11,000 students
 2,000 teaching and research staff
 800 technical support and administrative staff
VISION
Chalmers
for a sustainable future

5. Anyway,
let’s get back to search…

6. Starting point
chalmers.se
Student Portal
Intranet
Staff database
ONE SEARCH FOR EACH PLATFORM
USERS IN AGREEMENT
Co-workers, students and website
visitors are all unhappy with search

7. chalmers.se
31.000 web pages
Student Portal
3.300 web pages
+ 1.300 courses
Intranet
6.000 web pages
Staff database
5.200 members
“ To deliver easy and efficient
access to the relevant
information needed to perform
desired activity ”
VISION

8. Effect mapping
EFFECTS / GOALS
KPIs and tools for measuring
development are created or
planned.
MEASURING
Generic:
• Easy access to relevant information
• Increased satisfaction with search and increased use of
search at Chalmers
Students:
• Improved self service for current students
Staff:
• Facilitate task solving for staff by use of search
External visitors:
• Present Chalmers’ core business and strengths to external
visitors
METHOD
Workshops and interviews reveal
user behavior and user needs

9. Project phases
Launch basic search
functions
Technical solutions and
platform in place
PHASE 1
Develop and adapt
search applications
based on user needs
and behavior
Create tools for
analysis and
administration
PHASE 2
Add additional sources
Develop advanced
search driven
functionality to the
sites
PHASE 3
Feasiblity study and
choice of technical
solution
PHASE 0

10. Project phases
Feasiblity study and
choice of technical
solution
PHASE 0
Summer 2012
Launch basic search
functions
Technical solutions and
platform in place
PHASE 1
Develop and adapt
search applications
based on user needs
and behavior
Create tools for
analysis and
administration
PHASE 2
Add additional sources
Develop advanced
search driven
functionality to the
sites
PHASE 3

11. Launch basic search
functions
Technical solutions
and platform in place
Project phases
PHASE 1
Feasiblity study and
choice of technical
solution
PHASE 0
Summer 2013Sommar 2012
RESULT
Develop and adapt
search applications
based on user needs
and behavior
Create tools for
analysis and
administration
PHASE 2
Add additional sources
Develop advanced
search driven
functionality to the
sites
PHASE 3
The result was good…

12. New and improved!
Phase 1 search solution
 Our students do not care
what website they are on.
Neither does our new
search.
 Far greater relevance than
before.
 An independent search
platform creates
possibilites for the future

13. Contact us – it’s easy!
Phase 1 search solution
 Easier to
find staff
 Searches
on ext. numbers
 Connects to
profile pages for
more info
 Contact info,
photos and maps
in search results

14. Launch basic search
functions
Technical solutions
and platform in place
PHASE 1
Feasiblity study and
choice of technical
solution
PHASE 0
Summer 2013Sommar 2012
RESULT
Develop and adapt
search applications
based on user needs
and behavior
Create tools for
analysis and
administration
PHASE 2
Add additional sources
Develop advanced
search driven
functionality to the
sites
PHASE 3
The result was good
… 6 months delayed and at double the
development time compared to the estimated
time.
Why?
• Overly optimistic estimate
• A complex organisation
• Difficulties in finding the right people
internally
• Comprehensive testing was required
• Vague requirements specification
• No project manager at Chalmers
• No ”product champion” to promote search
within the organisation
, but…

15. Launch basic search
functions
Technical solutions
and platform in place
Project phases
PHASE 1
Feasiblity study and
choice of technical
solution
PHASE 0
Summer 2013Summer 2012
Loss of focus Loss of funding
Change in planning and ambition
Develop and adapt
search applications
based on user needs
and behavior
Create tools for
analysis and
administration
PHASE 2
Add additional sources
Develop advanced
search driven
functionality to the
sites
PHASE 3
Hand-off from project to
governance organisation…

16. Who owns search?

17. • Relevance models
• Administation user interface
• Additional data sources
DEVELOPMENT
• Key matches
• Synonyms
• Handling information deficiencies
(in cooperation with web editors)
SEARCH MANAGER
Search
manager
25%

18. The search manager’s mission
 Analyzing search usage and user behavior
 Improving relevance through synonyms, key matches etc
 Lifting search improvment needs to development groups
 Setting guidelines for search tools and SEO
 Handling feedback from users
 Having coffee with web editors
and information producers

19. Basic tools for
search managers

20. Basic tools for search managers

21. • Relevance models
• Administration user interface
• Additional data sources
DEVELOPMENT SEARCH ANALYSIS
• Key matches
• Synonyms
• Handling information deficiencies
(in cooperation with web editors)
SEARCH MANAGER
Search
manager
25%
JUST A FEW FIGURES
Focus on
tools/services –
the user has a
task to solve.
Search is seasonal
EXEMPLES FROM SUMMER 2013
July
• vpn (working from home)
• Schedule , scholarships, preparatory
studies (before the semester)
• New York (?)
August
• Schedule, student centre, mail. Student
union fees (the semester starts)
September
• matlab, pingpong, mail, eduroam (practical
tools used for the studies)
Topp 100 searches is
14,2%
of all searches (feb 2014)
20.000-30.000
Searches/month (3-4%)

22. Search analytics
 Information that we ought to have
 Information that we do have,
but is hard to find
 Information that we perhaps should not have,
but that the visitor think we could have
What your visitors doWhat they want to do
Analysing search behavior gives us tools
to work with structure, navigation and design
as well as information quality and information deficiencies on our sites.
Web analyticsSearch analytics

23. What kind of
web should
we give our
visitors?
Customer
satisfaction
questionnaires

24. Example:
Chalmers.se
Built
exclusively
for external
audiences
Current student
> Student Portal
Staff
> Intranet
60%
current
students
17%
staff
Visitor
questionnaire
reveals:
Visitor questionnaire autumn 2013
23%
external
visitors

25. Promote good discussions
in the organisation
What do our visitors expect from us,
and what should our brand deliever?
but base decisions
on facts, not guesses
and only measure
what you will act on

26. Chalmers.se
is not our home page,
it is the visitor’s web site
• No one likes a bad dinner party.
• All visitors have a task to solve.
Our job is to make this as easy as possible
• Good search and good navigation is key to a good experience
(Good content helps as well…).
• Most things are constantly changing.
To follow up and improve is a process, not a project

27.  A common search solution is harder than you might think
 Search “ownership” internally is important
 The real job starts when the technology is in place.
 A good search solution shows the information you have got.
For better or worse.
 A search manager is needed from day one.
 A good search solution is invisible.
 Measure, evaluate and improve. All the time.
Lessons learned…

28. IMAGES
• Hiding? Susanne Nilsson CC BY-SA (https://www.flickr.com/photos/infomastern)
• Search sign: Pleuntje, CC BY-SA (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pleuntje)
• Thumbs down: Juhansonin, CC BY-SA (http://www.flickr.com/photos/juhansonin/)
• Long road ahead: Jon Rawlinson CC: BY-SA
(http://www.flickr.com/people/94571281@N00)
• Diffussion of knowledge: Quinn.Anya, CC: BY-SA
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/)
• Hoover Dam Construction: Alan Stark CC-BY-SA
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/squeaks2569/)
• Coffee cup: LexnGer CC BY-NC
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/lexnger/4482568463)
• Books: Thorsten Becker CC BY-NC-ND
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/alternatewords/)
• Stats. Lendingmemo CC BY (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lendingmemo/)
• Dandelion Wish: John Llu CC-BY
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/8047705@N02/5572197407)
• Tape measure greyscale: antony_mayfield CC: BY-SA
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonymayfield/)
• Facts, not opionions: John Lord CC BY
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowbookltd/8530136053)
• Hippo bin: Eli Duke CC BY-SA
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/elisfanclub/4577865478)
• Graphs: See-ming Lee: CC: BY-SA (https://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/)
• Tape Measures: musicisentropy CC: BY-SA
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bandfan/)
THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING!