Does google actually WANT people to find things?

[cawingcrow]

I just had an instructor come to me as the "search expert" (his term) because he was having trouble narrowing things down to relevant results while still actually getting results for something he was searching for.

I started explaining basic search strategies to him as I walked over to the computer to show him how to find more information on searching. I vaguely remembered google having a really convoluted setup for actually locating help, but this was even more ridiculous than I remembered.

1. Looked at main page. Clicked on Advanced Search. Instructor was impressed.

2. Clicked on Advanced search tips option.

3. While finding this useful, it was not what I was looking for to show him, a basic search help was my goal. Luckily, over on the left side, there was a link for Basics of Search and clicking through on that finally came up with more of what I had in mind. There is even a Help Center link in the same column.

Which leads me to wonder if google is trying to keep librarians employed -- a quick look at the main google home page shows an obvious lack of links to any kind of help, much less the help center and the basic search information page.

A casual user (and heck, even most of the librarians I know) is NOT going to think to go look at the advanced search and then follow the link for advanced search help for that to get to basic help information. Clicking on About Us on the bottom of the page actually takes you to a page that has a Help link, but I really don't think most people are going to be thinking that help will be found there -- they really need a more direct link, if not on the front page, at least at the top of the results page (so folks who get bad results can click through and find ways to improve their search). There are too many pages in the world where "About Us" is dry corporate blather and contact info to assume it is going to have helpful info, imho.

Since they are actually bothering to provide help info, you'd think they'd put it where someone could actually FIND it...*sheesh*

Comments

[tmc4242.livejournal.com]

Got to think geekier.

Google "Google Help"

Skip the UK stuff, and there you are.

Piece of cake. :-)

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

Using search engines does appear to be a special mental skill.

I can't tell you how often some PhD comes to me and says I have looked everywhere I just can't find any more info.

Or my favorite last week I had a client bullsh*ting me, I knew it was BS because as I was speaking to him on the phone I was googling the topic and I found all sorts of interesting little research tids and bits.

So he tells me that he can't answer my questions, and he needs to refer my questions to the scientist in charge of this product.

She writes me directly and wants to know exactly who gave me their uber secret recipe.

I explained to her that I did a quick search for known info, and put 2+2 together with some basic microbiology knowledge and wallah.

She informed me no one knew anything about those particular ingredients, that it was confidential and propriatary and no way could I have come up with it in less than 30 minutes.

So I sent her copies of the three research papers, that detailed the bits and pieces.

And detailed my logic trail.

The sponsor rep called me back and said his research scientist was flabbergasted that I found those papers and managed to connect the dots.

Thank you google, another PhD totally amazed by my wonderous powers of knowledge manipulation.

Aren't I smart?

[hederaivy.livejournal.com]

Voila, not wallah.

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

Sorry...wallah...is an in-house joke.

Kinda hard to explain the joke, I should have used the correct spelling.

[hederaivy.livejournal.com]

I spoke with someone in the know who suggests that you use the feedback link to make Google aware of your opinion and also tell the instructor to do the same thing. (and all the class, if they feel like it)

The teams do read this stuff, and if it's a suggestion for a fix that should have been obvious to them but wasn't because they're too techy, or if they get enough comments on the same subject, they'll do what they can to improve the user interface.

[cawingcrow.livejournal.com]

Heh. Went to look for feedback...as far as I can see, feedback is reached by first going to the About Us section and then clicking on the Contact Us link under the More Google part of that page.

Do you see anything resembling a feedback option on this page??? I haven't and I've looked multiple times.

I'm sure there is another way to get to it, but it really does seem like they need someone with an eye for usability going over their pages.

Heh, doing a google search does get a form, though it is also rather user-unfriendly in its options (I'm thinking Other is my category, since it appears to take a gazillion more clicks to get to anything resembling an entry form if you try the general problem option).

Hmm, if I thought they'd click, I'd just point them to this entry (but I'm sure they wouldn't).

I have to get out of work now, so I'll try to remember to feedback them later, since I've spent too much time looking for the entry form.

But really, when people essentially have to use your product to find help using your product, it's not a good thing...

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

What are you trying to find?
Maybe I can help.

[cawingcrow.livejournal.com]

I was helping someone find more info on how to improve his searching -- so I was looking for the basic search and help files, thus the rant about how inconvenient their page setup is. And then, the second part of the rant is about the inconvenience of the suggested "feedback" option.

So it isn't that I'm trying to find anything at this point, just that I'm griping about how ridiculously hard they make it -- particularly for those users who don't have masters degrees in library and information science. The guy I was helping must have a masters in something since he's one of our full-time academic instructors, so even he isn't an "average" user.

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

Well that was my point about PhD's. A graduate degree seems to be inverse to capability of doing searches.

Personally I have never really found advance search forms of much use.

What can be useful is judicious use of quotes when you want "all terms" to be searched for like a single word.

For instance Vicki Smith would result in the search engine searching first for examples of Vicki and Smith in a document...not necessarily togetehr, then for Vicki alone,...then for Smith alone, then other spellings.

But if You put "Vicki Smith" in quotes, then the whole name as quoted will be the first thing in the search. Next is the appropriate use of commas, add Houston Texas, or add the word pagan...or band director...or better yet "Band Director".

Just adding information will narrow a search dramatically and quotes can get rid of google hyped terms ...like idiot resulting in Resident Bush.

Just those bits ...amazingly enough seem often beyond the "above average" user.

In my experience all an advanced search does is give you spaces to do the same thing, only often not as effectively.

And neitehr using those little things or teh advanced search will take teh place of understanding how to select "key words".

Hence my request for an example. That is usually the easiest way to show someone how to effectively search.