Building my rebooted:bbc.co.uk homepage - #10: Search
The search element of my reboot:bbc.co.uk design is going to be big and prominent. We know from research that some web-users are just search dominant, and will always try and use search rather than navigate, and we also know that with literally millions of pages of BBC content and more being added every day that a navigation only approach isn't going to work.
Last week the BBC re-launched its search service. I've been impressed with most of what I've seen so far - the redesign has fixed some real problems with the old search interface. On the other hand, IMHO, it has inevitably fixed some things that weren't broken.
I think to really get on demand at the heart of the search there are still a few tweaks required - although I'm not sure the technology is quite up to it yet.
I'd still want to bring results back from several different datasets, but I'd want to do it more intelligently and dynamically. If a user has searched for a programme title, and it is available on demand via the new iPlayer, then I want that link right up front. I still want news to be treated differently - indexed faster and ranked by date rather than strict relevance - but I want it included subtly like Google, Yahoo! and the new BBC Search do, rather than disguising it in the regular run of results like the old BBC Search did.
I also want BBC and world wide web links integrated into the same results set, but I want the number of results displayed from each to be dynamically intelligent - judge how many results you get back from the BBC and the web to work out how "BBC" a query is, and return more bbc.co.uk links the more "BBC" the query is.
Still, redesigning the just-redesigned BBC search service is perhaps another competition for another day ;-)
Back to my proposed homepage redesign, I'd also retain the current feature that shows some recent popular searches from across the site. Why? Well, partly from selfish nostalgia - I helped in the work to put them there in 2002 in the first place, and don't want to see them removed!
More rationally however, looking at all the elements on the page, once you've made a lot of things personalised, you've broken the "collective experience". Currently when you go to the BBC homepage on February 14th - you know it is Valentine's Day. Likewise, in the run-up to Christmas, the page often has a Christmassy feel. Well, there isn't very much on my redesigned page to achieve the effect of reflecting what is going on in the world that might not be news, but would perhaps be a seasonal ambience. Displaying popular searches is a way of doing that - as they always reflect what the public are currently interested in the UK. It injects a bit automated personality and topicality into the page.
- 14 May 2006 11:09
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> It injects a bit automated personality and topicality into the page.
I don't think there's much evidence for that. The truth is users don't have some sort of hive-mind conscience. When I log on I don't want to be bombarded with the latest news from Albert Square (or where-ever). John Doe doesn't want the shipping report for the Irish Sea either.
These 'personal' features need to be customized. There are two real ways to deal with this sort of information - throw everything at the wall and see what sticks, or let the user choose. I know which I'll be doing.
>> I don't think there's much evidence for that.
I disagree - I think any single days page out of the home archive at http://www.bbc.co.uk/homearchive gives plenty of evidence.
Take for example the Saturday just gone - http://www.bbc.co.uk/homearchive/2006/05/13/
The main feature of the homepage was the Cybermen in Doctor Who - but what were the users searching for in droves - fa cup, fa cup final. It gives a quick link through to information about other things going on that day that are not the main focus of the page
> It gives a quick link through to information about other things going on that day that are not the main focus of the page.
Heh, well in that case the FA Cup wasn't a particularly good example, but I appreciate your point. I think the truth is that the only way to solve this sort of debate is to see some real figures. The BBC must have some sort of click software installed to see what's popular on a page and what's not.
I think the current text dedicated to the "what's hot" area is far too small even if it is useful - and honestly, I believe would be better placed alongside results on the search page itself.
I think there's maybe been a slight contradiction from your point of view, anyway. You've mentioned several times that users are objective-driven - no one comes onto the homepage thinking "ooh, I wonder what's popular today," they come along with the purpose of searching for the FA Cup or Theo Walcott. In that respect I think it would be far more useful to base the search terms presented based on a users previous topical searches.
It's just an off-topic, but: Did you see the new Y! home page?
Da**... Excellent, but unfortunately is only available for IE (well for the moment).
The BBC team have to make something soon, better and easy to use like Y!'s one.