Dynamic Search Result Hierarchy with User Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data search engines often return over- or under-inclusive search results, making it difficult for users to find relevant information due to the lack of customizable and user-friendly organization of search results into categories.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that organizes search results into a hierarchy of categories, allowing users to modify and customize the categories based on their preferences, with features such as adding new categories, associating webpages with categories, and using user feedback to refine search results, enabling a more robust and user-centric search experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If search results are organized into a fixed hierarchy of categories, then navigation efficiency is improved, but user customization capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The category hierarchy is made dynamic and adaptable rather than fixed. Users can modify the hierarchy by adding new categories, removing existing ones, and reorganizing the structure according to their specific needs. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain efficient navigation through organized categories while simultaneously providing customization capability, as the hierarchy evolves based on user interactions and preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to self-organize search results by allowing them to create custom categories, drag and drop search results into different categories, and personalize the hierarchy structure. This self-service mechanism empowers users to take control of the organization process, improving both navigation efficiency for their specific needs and customization capability simultaneously.
2Quantity of substance
If a comprehensive set of categories is provided for all search results, then coverage is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The category system is segmented into a hierarchical structure with general categories at higher levels and specific categories at lower levels. Users can selectively expand or collapse different segments of the hierarchy based on their needs. This segmentation allows comprehensive coverage to be achieved through modular organization, while system complexity is reduced by allowing users to focus only on relevant segments rather than presenting the entire category tree at once.
Solution Approach 2:
Categories are organized in a nested hierarchical structure where broad categories contain sub-categories, which may contain further sub-categories. This nesting allows comprehensive coverage to be achieved through multiple levels of organization, while the visual presentation can be simplified by showing only the relevant nested levels, thereby reducing perceived system complexity while maintaining comprehensive categorization capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If users can freely modify the category hierarchy, then user preference adaptation is improved, but processing overhead deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary organization of search results into categories automatically before presenting them to users. Common category assignments and hierarchical structures are pre-established based on analysis of search patterns and content characteristics. This preliminary action reduces the processing overhead during user interactions, as the heavy lifting of initial categorization has already been done, allowing users to focus on finer adjustments to the hierarchy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where user modifications to the category hierarchy are tracked and analyzed. Frequently used custom categories and modification patterns are fed back into the system to automatically refine and optimize the default category structure. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from user behavior, reducing processing overhead by anticipating user needs and pre-configuring categories that are likely to be useful, thereby minimizing the number of modifications users need to make.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for searching a data set and returning search results organized in a hierarchy of categories are disclosed. A set of categories is provided for organizing a set of search results, wherein each category is associated with one or more search results. The set of search results is organized into a hierarchy of categories, the hierarchy including at least one category from the set of categories. At least a portion of the hierarchy of categories is displayed and a user request to modify the hierarchy of categories is received. The hierarchy of categories is modified in accordance with the user request.