Critical success factors for enterprise search

Abstract

Enterprise search is now an essential tool for employees. In this article, I introduce 12 factors critical to the successful implementation and sustainability of quality search applications. Ranging from content quality, the position of search in an integrated information management strategy and adequate support for users, perhaps the most important is recognizing that the process of ensuring that search is meeting user requirements never comes to an end. That few organizations have made a considered commitment to ensuring that employees can find the information they need when they need it is highlighted by large-scale surveys of the state of enterprise search. The result is confusion and inefficiency whilst ideally users want to find information that they can trust to make decisions that count. This can be removed if the introduction of a search tool is planned within an organizational information management strategy and with a clear understanding of user needs.