Semantic Search Explained
June 19, 2010
I get asked about semantic search one a day, often more frequently. I usually say, “Semantic search means software can figure out what something is about.” If that does not do the trick, I trot out the more detailed explanation Martin White and I put in our 2009 study “Successful Enterprise Search Management.”
I neglected to write about “10 Things that Make Search a Semantic Search.” The informton in that write up by the founder of Hakia, Dr. Riza C. Berkan is useful. If you have not reviewed the write up, you will want to put this reading on your To Do list.
I don’t want to reproduce the full list. Navigate to the original article and work through. I do want to highlight three points with which I agree.
First, a semantic search can handle synonyms. Languages are like roads in Kentucky, full of potholes. Disambiguation and figuring out synonyms are two important tasks. Their presence signals a semantic component in the content processing system.
Second, a search systm that can present a snippet or a highlight of the key sentence of paragraph is quite useful. I find that some snippeting technology is designed to meet the needs of folks selling ads. The snippeting function I want works with the honesty and zeal of a prisoner who is due to be released from prison in two days.
Finally, a user can enter a query without having to formulate a query with Boolean operators or special instructions such as CC=. Systems have to be smart but not biased or tilted for the benefit of advertisers. Objectivity is important in delivering this type of query support. Alas, I think this is a difficult goal to achieve. Humans are humans and often prefer to click the ad for a vacation rental than running a query and perusing results, then making an informed decision.
A happy quack to Hakia for the post.
Stephen E Arnold, June 19, 2010
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