A picture of search

Abstract

We survey many of the measures used to describe and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of large-scale search services. These measures, herein visualized versus verbalized, reveal a domain rich in complexity and scale. We cover six principle facets of search: the query space, users' query sessions, user behavior, operational requirements, the content space, and user demographics. While this paper focuses on measures, the measurements themselves raise questions and suggest avenues of further investigation.