[Sigia-l] Random Search Results

[Skot Nelson]

On Feb-9-2007, at 11:18 , Kenneth Bryson wrote:

> Can't you do some simple usabilty tests with the sales team,  
> setting up
> the results to come back randomly and ask them to find something three
> times in row?  Impractical, if not impossible.

The phone book example is a good one, but could be irrelevant to the  
business model.

The sales guys are looking for a way to charge Zachariah's Zodiacs  
the same amount as they charge Ahab's Whale Watching. The concern is  
"Why would Zacariah buy at all if he's always going to be on the  
fifth page?"

(For the record, the simple answer to why both would in the case of a  
printed yellow pages edition is, in large part, history -- it works,  
and it's worked for a long time.)

At least this is the mental model I'm envisioning based on Will's  
original question.

Would it be possible to create some form of partial listing that was  
randomly ordered, thus helping to alleviate the sales force's needs?  
If it's randomly generated, than *any* listing gets potentially equal  
exposure. Perhaps a sidebar feature with best attempts to be context  
specific.

Keeping the main list alphabetically formatted seems to make the most  
sense, given the length of the lists.

I'd also look into *other* opportunities to help the the sales force  
with the usability challenge. Perhaps building favourites lists?  
Storing recently viewed items? (Expansys does the last part very well  
and very subtly.) You could do this quite simply using a cookie,  
rather than requiring a login.

It's interesting that the body of your main page ( http://tinyurl.com/ 
ytgjzl ) breaks activities into major categories (e.g. "Air & Land  
Activities", "Winter Activities") but this hierarchy isn't carried  
into the drop down menu on the right hand side of the page.

When I click on "Breweries" on that page I get a listing of two  
breweries. When I click on "Cycling" I get a category description and  
I need to click through to get the list of activities. This seems odd.
--
Skot Nelson
skot (at) penguinstorm (dot) com
http://www.penguinstorm.com/

skype. skot.nelson

	"In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when
	 there is no longer anything to add, but when there
	 is no longer anything to take away."
	-- Antonine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars