Compare enterprise search relevance using Side-by-Side in Enterprise Labs

The conversation around enterprise search often centers on advanced refinement options, visualization, U/I design elements, and so on. Of course, these are all important nuances – and things we are working to evolve – but what seems to be lost is the focus on the real goal of search: delivering relevant results. Within an enterprise, users ultimately want the confidence that they'll get the result they're seeking, right there on top, regardless of how the results interact with advanced options.

Today, we're showcasing the value of relevance and introducing our latest Enterprise Labs tool, Side-by-Side search. The concept is simple: let's say you want to compare the relevance of two separate search engines across the same body of data.

For instance, you might want to compare the results you get from your existing search solution with what you get from the Google Search Appliance (GSA). You might want to compare two different back-end settings for the GSA, or two different solutions altogether. As shown below, Side-by-Side shows your users two panes on their screen, each containing a unique set of results – hence, "side-by-side." Users can then compare the results and vote on which set they prefer.

Side-by-Side makes it easy to test the GSA with other enterprise search engines, ensuring people in the workplace can get the highest-relevancy results and bringing Google.com search quality to the enterprise.

If admins want to conduct a full relevance test for results of multiple search queries, they can feed in whatever queries they'd like to test. All of the Side-by-Side administration can be done with a simple web interface, and admins can anonymize each panel, so users don't know which search engine or setting powers which set of results. Essentially, admins can now test any search products they want and provide their organization with the setting or solution that employees rate highest.

If you're already powering search with a GSA, download Side-by-Side and test your results. You can also check out our ROI JumpStart offer, which helps get companies up and running with the Google Search Appliance quickly and with professional support.

Ultimately, no matter what you're searching, relevant results are the critical outcome.

Posted by Cyrus Mistry, Mistry, Product Manager, Google Enterprise