As I undertake consulting assignments and workshops I am aware that many search managers have little prior experience of search technology and search management, and rarely have colleagues to turn to for information and advice. Although there are many books on the subject of search most are written for students requiring an text book for a course on information retrieval and contain little in the way of advice for enterprise and website search managers.
Today Intranet Focus Ltd has launched The Search Circle as a subscription-based information service for managers responsible for enterprise and website search applications. The scope of the service will be on search implementation, management and enhancement. A Search Circle subscription includes Search Log, a monthly newsletter, regular Search Notes on a range of search management topics and Search Check, a search management benchmarking application. A pilot issue of Search Log was published in June and the Search Notes will be similar in format to our Research Notes. The Search Check search management benchmarking tool will be released to members of The Search Circle in September. Members will also be able to take advantage of discounts to many search conferences and other products and services. The Search Circle is not intended to be a discussion forum, as there are many of these on LinkedIn already. An Advisory Board of search managers from around the world is being set up and a list of members will be released in the next couple of weeks.
Two Search Notes have been released for July. Search Note 01-13 is an annotated list of search books, reports and surveys. Search Note 02-13 covers the subject of search assessment, with sections on search performance, search analytics. search usability and accessibility and on assessing the value and impact of search. In August there will also be two Search Notes, one on the relationship between big data and enterprise search and another on a range of approaches to making a business case for search. A subscription starts from the month in which an order is placed so if the July Search Notes would be of value to you then you need take out a subscription before 31 July. Our plans in 2014 currently include web surveys and webinars but will reflect feedback from members and from the Advisory Board.
A twelve month subscription is priced at £250 plus VAT, or €300 plus VAT or US$400. If you wish to purchase a subscription or have queries about scope of The Search Circle please contact us via membership@thesearchcircle.com .
Martin White