[Sigia-l] To sort or not to sort

[FelcanSmith, Mark]

> From: Stew Dean
> 
> I don't think you really gave enough details to say for sure 
> but sort can 
> improve the browsing of lists in situations like ecommerce. 
> For example if 
> you're searching for a second hand car I find being able to 
> sort by either 
> distance or cost (increasing or decreasing) very useful tools.
> 
> To state the obvious it's all down to the task that 
> information takes part in.
> 
> Stew Dean

I realize the limited information I provided makes providing a sound
response tricky, but that's where I'm at w/ reviewing these designs. I
don't have the luxury of performing task analysis at this point. You
make a good point on sortability for browse lists...this is a 2nd phase
approach to our project, and there are plans for me to get involved much
earlier.

This search feature is one component of a larger knowledge management
initiative. We're using Verity as the search engine and at this point,
I'm pretty unfamiliar w/ its capabilities. I am however familiar w/ the
benefits provided to users through a sort feature w/ a results set.

The gist of the question is really this: has anyone implemented sort for
searches that are done based on relevancy? If so, can you explain the
value...both in terms of usability and user experience?

thanks,
Mark