Professionals have a strange relationship with search engines. They use them for work and even find them to be an overall aid. But would they rely on search engines the way a surgeon would rely on a life-saving medical tool? Not likely.
A new survey of more than 1,000 professionals by Convera examines this question further, revealing the challenges that stand between search queries and relevant answers. For example:
- Only 21 percent of professionals feel that their search query is always understood.
- Just one in 10 professionals always finds exactly what he or she is looking for on the first attempt.
- About 70 percent admit getting sidetracked during the search process
and end up on sites they didn’t expect to visit and are not relevant to
their work.
- When searches do not return precise information, more than half of
professionals believe the information they’re seeking exists, but they
do not have the skills to find it.
- One third of professionals will make decisions without all the facts
they need after a series of search attempts fails to help them.
These are just a few of the key survey findings. Get the full report,
THE SEARCH FOR PROFESSIONAL SEARCH - A Convera® Survey, 2006.