• Looking at the needs of the user before considering the capabilities of software and hardware
• Designing functionality that uses the power of the computer to assist the user
• Accommodating the structural differences between different information resources
• Moving from a system-centric to a user-centric design process

Our work is not just about building another search tool.  It requires the integration of a range of elements that all contribute to overall quality and form a coherent methodology for working in an information driven economy.  It starts with information acquisition - bringing together good quality clean content from a wide range of internal and external sources is an essential.  Having acquired the content, it is then necessary to be able to analyse the data to establish relationships at the word, phrase, sentence, paragraph and page levels. 

 

Next, one must consider how to integrate the information access process into a range of user-centric workflows that allow different levels of user engagement.  Not everyone works or thinks in the same ways so it is essential to offer a number of ways for users to work with search.  Delivering new information access tools can require radical moves such as taking search off the search page, enhancing traditional information navigation methods. 

On top of all of the above there is one paramount consideration - technology should be used but not seen.  Even the best technology will function better if it is kept in the background.  

 

So what was wrong with Search?

Supposedly computers were getting 'more intelligent' as they got faster, leading to the idea that search engines could anticipate what the search user was looking for, even if given just a single keyword. 

This flawed thinking grew from the concept that brought Google its initial success - Popularity.  Articles and sites are ranked according to their popularity rather than the real relevance of the information available.  This approach can be fine if everyone is looking for the cheapest place to buy gadgets but it makes it very difficult to dig deeper and find the information nuggets that can make a difference. The reliance on external metrics for relevancy means an engine developed for Web search cannot function effectively on an information rich Web site.

We now live in a Knowledge Economy where access to information is critical to most business activity.  When searching for information you don't merely want to find out what everyone else knows - you need to find significant packets of information that can help you positively differentiate your business activity from that of your competitors.

To achieve this Ultra Knowledge realised that it would be necessary to engage the search User in the search process.  Why?  Because no matter how fast computers are, they are not yet intelligent.  The radical increase in megahertz and megabytes per pound over the last few years means that computers are even more capable of quickly carrying out complex data processing.  Unfortunately, even in complex Semantic engines, computers do not 'understand' what they handle.  This is where the human excels. The human brain is not fast and not precise but, unlike computers, it is capable of dealing with and manipulating concepts.  Ultra Knowledge Search Technology is designed to utilise the best from both search Users and computers to deliver a search process that offers information access that is effective and rewarding.

 

The Answer: A User-Centric Approach?

A search user doesn't know where to find what they want and often doesn't really know exactly what it is they are searching for.

So, do you throw results at them in the hope that they can sift through and stumble on what they need - or do you find ways to help them focus in the right direction?  "Search Assisted Navigation" and "Information Triggers" are two of the ways that Ultra Knowledge use to help the search user get what they really need!

"Search Assisted Navigation" is about taking search off the search page.  Traditional site navigation is about categorising content and directing a user to an area where they can find content that interests them.  Ultra Knowledge Search Technology enhances this process by offering dynamically generated "Information Triggers" that can take the user directly to focused areas of content that relate to what the user is currently viewing.

These 'information triggers', which can be delivered in a variety of forms, allow the search User to quickly find new terms that are actually much closer to the subject matter they seek. 

The Ultra Knowledge search process is much more than just technology - it is also about presentation, workflows and ease of access.  Search is just one part of an overall workflow - it is never an end in itself.  Therefore Ultra Knowledge do as much as we can to see that the search process is intuitive and non-disruptive. If these ideas appeal to you, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how Ultra Knowledge Search Technology can work with you to deliver User-Centric search to Information Seekers.  To read more about "Search Assisted Navigation" click here.