Half a year ago I wrote a blogpost about an easy change that Google could make to its interface, one that would both sacrifice only the least bit of simplicity as well as entice and encourage the user to enter longer queries, thus improving retrieval effectiveness. In particular, I wrote:
So even though research has found that longer queries lead to more satisfied users, and that larger query input boxes lead to longer queries, Google is unable to take an evolutionary step in that direction. That step violates their current locally-maximum hill principle of simplicity. They seem fundamentally incapable of passing through the valley of complexity to reach an even higher effectiveness peak because evolutionary thinking does not allow them to take that large leap necessary. They can only follow their current gradient. In ten years of using Google, I don’t think that I have ever seen, even for brief experimental time periods, a query input box that was taller than one line. Thus, evolutionary thinking conflicts with long-term goals.
Well, it’s time for me to eat those words. For today, the search box grew in size. From the official Google blog: Continue reading…
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