Presented by Duane Degler, Design for Context, at the NFAIS 2019 Annual Conference in Alexandria, VA, on February 14, 2019. Semantic search seeks to enhance the meaning in content, to more closely align the searcher and the available information resources. This means there is a strong user-centered aspect needed to unlock the benefits. What scenarios, needs, experiences, and mental models do our user bring to their search task? How does that inform our modeling of the “meaning” derived from the content? How do we avoid encoding rigidity of meaning by creating learning opportunities for both the users and the underlying search index and algorithms? As we model content, we recognize that its character, structure, and context all matter. Alongside strategies for incorporating taxonomies and indexing the content itself, we will explore how you can prepare a knowledge graph that increases the potential for aligning meaning between your content and your users. On the user experience side, we will introduce design approaches such as supporting iteration for exploratory search, modeling a language landscape, applying user context identification, creating feedback loops based on results selection and use, and using visual signposting for lightweight semantics in the user interface.

1. Duane Degler
duane@designforcontext.com
@ddegler
NFAIS • February 14, 2019 slides posted at: designforcontext.com/insights
User and Information Design Considerations
for Effective Semantic Search

2. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
● Semantic search seeks to identify “meaning” in content, to more closely align
the searcher and the available information resources. This means there is a
strong user-centered aspect needed to unlock the benefits.
● What scenarios, needs, experiences, and mental models do our user bring to search?
● How does that inform our modeling of the “meaning” derived from the content?
● How do we avoid encoding rigidity of meaning?
● As we model content, we recognize that its character, structure, and context
all matter.
● How can you prepare a knowledge graph that increases the potential for aligning
meaning between your content and your users?
Focus: User Relationships to Content/Terminology
2

3. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Semantic search seeks to enhance the meaning in
content, to more closely align the searcher and the
available information resources.
This means there is a strong user-centered aspect
needed to unlock the benefits.
UNDERSTANDING OUR USERS
3

4. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
● User and content attributes
● Mental models
● The roles of semantics
● Related links and personalization
Where are Semantics Useful?
4
USER FOCUS

5. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Users:
● Highly motivated
● Knowledgeable
● Longer search experiences
Content:
● Documents are larger
● Hard to know what is relevant
● More subjects covered
● Lots of repeated information
User and Content Attributes
5
USER FOCUS

6. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
User Mental Models: Experience & Need
6
USER FOCUS
REFINE
Formulate Seek Evaluate Review
KEEP
Archival
REFINE
Formulate Seek Evaluate ReviewSurvey
Exploratory
REFINE
Formulate Evaluate Review
USE/KEEP
Seek
Targeted
REFINE
Formulate Seek Evaluate Review
KEEPUSE
Collaborative
REFINE
Formulate Seek Evaluate Review
USE/KEEP
Routine
REFINE
Formulate Seek Evaluate Review
KEEP
Duane Degler. Designing the Next Generation of Search User Experience. June 2015. http://www.designforcontext.com/insights/designing-next-generation-search-user-experience

7. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
● A user’s task has its own language
● The task (an element of user context) shifts perception of what
matters in content
● Do our sites and content need to respond to tasks?
● If users are clear on the relationship between information and task,
then their focus on the information subjects should be sufficient
● They draw meaning based on their context
● But… in dense information environments, users may need help
Does “Meaning” Include “Context”?
7
USER FOCUS

8. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
● Is your internal search a first stop, a next step, or a last resort?
● Consider the users’ journeys – path analysis
● Consider the semantics of your site, not just your search
● Language (navigation, links, headings) sets expectations of relevance
● Roles
● Focusing search
● Providing pathways in browse
● Building relationship structures
● Allowing integration
The Roles of Semantics
8
USER FOCUS

9. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Interacting with Terminology in Search
9
USER FOCUS

10. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Interacting with Terminology in Search
10
USER FOCUS

11. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Capturing decisions/use (Governance)
11
USER FOCUS
Duane Degler. Understanding How Content Is Used in Enterprise Settings. March 2016. http://www.designforcontext.com/insights/understanding-content-use
Capturing user actions as system annotations
allows content, classification, and system
actions to coexist and be analyzed together

12. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
SITUATION
SIGNALS
SITUATIONSIGNALS
Location
Co-occurring events
Date / time
Conditions
Devices / connectivity
SITUATION
SIGNALS
USERSIGNALS
Usage patterns
Experience
Interests / profile
History
Community
CONTENTSIGNALS
Link relationships
Text patterns
Categories / keywords
Metadata
TASKSIGNALS
Outcomes / goals
Rules / requirements
Criticality
Sequence / status
Frequency for user
Related Links &
Personalization:
Context Signals
12
USER FOCUS
Degler (2013). Supporting Relevance for Users: A Design Challenge http://www.designforcontext.com/insights/supporting-relevance-for-users
“Things,
not Strings”

13. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
As we model content, we recognize that its
character, structure, and context all matter.
UNDERSTANDING OUR CONTENT & LANGUAGE
13

14. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
● Search navigation
● Term relationships
● Content navigation
Where are Semantics Useful?
14
CONTENT/LANGUAGE

15. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Neighborhoods

16. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Browse Pathways
Your semantics map
the road network

17. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Term Relationships
17
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
All my content
is about this –
and I want it to
show up in
search!
Cellular interactions
Cell adhesion
Cell communication
Cell signaling
Notch signaling
Receptor signaling
Signal transduction
Signaling pathways
WNT signaling pathways
This article is
really about this
topic…

18. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Cellular interactions
Cell adhesion
Cell communication
Cell signaling
Notch signaling
Receptor signaling
Signal transduction
Signaling pathways
WNT signaling pathways
Implicit (great grandparent)
Peer
Implicit (grandparent)
Implicit (parent)
Peer
Peer
Explicit tag
Implicit (child)
Implicit (grandchild)
Term Relationships: Weighting Search
18
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
1.0
0.7
0.5
0.2
0.3
0.5
Ancestors
Descendants
Related (RT)
?
Synonym (NP)
1.0?

19. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Balancing Term Value
19
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
SubjectsAbout-ness
Depicts (primary)
Depicts (background)
Chromatin
Self renewal
Post-treatment effects

20. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Subjects and Topics
20
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
Topics
Topics
Sub-Topics
. . .
Subjects
Term
Term
. . .
Group of
Subjects
Subjects are about the
specific things in your
content
Topics provide entry to
your site’s overall focus

21. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Subjects and Topics
21
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
Topics
Topics
Sub-Topics
. . .
Subjects
Term
Term
. . .
Group of
Subjects
BONUS
This approach gives you algorithmic ranking from browse or
term-specific link lookup, because the ranking algorithm works
off of the relationships profile of the content!

22. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Navigation Within Content
22
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
• Indexing structure(s)
• Natural Language
Processing (NLP)
• Semantic distance

23. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Navigation Within Content
23
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
Author 2013. AuthorLast, AuthorFirst.
"The Title of the Work," 212-230. In
Name of Collected Works, Vol. 3.
EditorNames, eds. Publisher, 2013.
“He identified in that passage
(Author 2013, p.217) that the
dog was not present.”
Pointer to overall
location of primary
information entity.
Supports human
reading to find the
specific information.

24. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Navigation Within Content
24
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
Author 2013. AuthorLast, AuthorFirst.
"The Title of the Web Page," URL:
http://SpecificCitedObjectPURL. In
Name of Collected Works.
EditorNames, eds. National Gallery of
Art. Accessed December 25, 2013.
“He identified in that passage
(Author 2013, Technical Notes)
that the dog the dog was not
present.”
Pointer to entry-specific
location of primary
information entity.
Pointer to the
overall article /
publication.

25. @ddegler User and Information Design Considerations for Effective Semantic Search | NFAIS 2019
Proactive Search Requires Learning
25
CONTENT/LANGUAGE
Find
& Use
Support Ongoing
Quality & Effectiveness
Proactive & Targeted Technology Support
Apply refs
to work
products
Run &
refine
searches
Organize /
annotate
references
Relevance
pattern
learning
Query
building
support
Proactive
analysis
& retrieval
Save for
later use
Understand
& Prepare
Gather
candidate
terms
Formulate
search
strategy
Shared
resources
& models

26. Duane Degler
duane@designforcontext.com
@ddegler
NFAIS • February 14, 2019 slides posted at: designforcontext.com/insights
User and Information Design Considerations
for Effective Semantic Search