/How we built/ www.ask.com
15/09/2006 | Filed under Design > How we built
Jeeves might have gone, but Ask is still a serious player in the search market. Tony Macklin tells us about the new site
.net: Why did Ask need a revamp?
TM: In February 2006, more than ten years after Ask first appeared on the internet, Ask Jeeves became Ask.com. The process was certainly a challenge, but one we felt was necessary to help users get the most from their search experience. Ask has always had great search technology underpinning the site, but from research it became clear that users’ perception of the Ask Jeeves brand was getting in the way.
For this reason and others, we knew that things had to change. Firstly, we had to change the way users perceived us and change their search behaviour. We wanted to give them a better, cleaner experience, with our advanced functions made much more accessible. With the global reach of the internet, we also knew that any redesign would have to be implemented on a coordinated, worldwide scale, with consideration given to the needs of our users not just in the UK, but in the US and all over Europe.
.net: What sort of process did you go through before actually redesigning?
TM: Before starting on any redesign work, we carried out extensive concept research looking at the views of our current users and other internet users in general. The research pointed toward the emergence of a new, sought-after search market target audience that desired sophisticated internet search tools. This user is typically aged between 18-35, often male with a high level of technological literacy.
In blind tests, though, the quality of our search results and content-linked tools such as Smart Searches were both met with surprise because the user experience was far better than expected. More general investigation into search and the wider internet also revealed a growing dissatisfaction with the prevalence of adverts on the web. The research left us with three key tasks: to retire Jeeves and fill the void left by his departure, to reduce the level of advertising, and the seamless integration of content into our results.
After the initial research we created two prototype sites to gauge users’ reaction, one was an evolution of the existing design, and the other a complete revolution. The first thing we learned was that we would have to maintain some continuity with the old site. One of the strengths of the Ask Jeeves home page was its warmth, symbolised by Jeeves as well as through the colouring of the pages and the easy-touse interface. Moving to a very sophisticated approach immediately lost this warmth and began to alienate users. The prototype phase also enabled us to bring our advanced search tools to the fore, and present them on the home page for visibility and ease of use. The reduction of sponsored links also proved very popular with our trial users.
.net: Why did Jeeves have to go?
TM: For many users Jeeves still embodied the idea of a Q&A and was, therefore, seen as something for beginners. Once the prototype trials were completed, we had a clear view of what the relaunch had to achieve, and how. To change the perceptions of the site, the first step was to retire Jeeves, and with him the notion that Ask.com is for beginners. It was vitally important to engage existing users in Jeeves’ exit, and reassure them the site was changing for the better. With this in mind we created a microsite that enabled Jeeves’ fans to visit his office and vote for a retirement plan, with options ranging from going into space, to running a monkey sanctuary in Borneo (Jeeves is currently enjoying a round-the-world cruise). Over 80,000 users cast their vote at the microsite, which also included blueprints for the new site design and a board to leave farewell messages for Jeeves.
.net: What about the more serious design changes.
TM: Reducing the level of advertising was next. Although it posed a risk in terms of reduced revenue, we were confident that the move would result in more users. When our US colleagues made a similar move in 2005 the number of users grew substantially, which gave us confidence to make the change on a global scale. Ask.com now has the least ads on the first screen of results of any major search engine.
Another key part of changing perceptions and user behaviour was to refresh the site’s appearance and give it a cleaner, more professional look. Today’s typical internet user is very different to a user ten years ago. “Help me find it” has become “Help me get it faster”. With this in mind, we now provide direct links to search tools designed for common queries. They’re all presented in the Search Toolbox, a new addition to the home page with customisable links to Image Search, News Search, Maps, Desktop Search, Weather and more. The new AJAX-based interface enables users to drag and drop these tools into whatever order they prefer and gives immediate access to advanced searches. By enabling users to personalise their home page Ask.com is at the forefront of integrated search and content on the web.
The reply page has also had an overhaul, with a number of features designed to provide the desired information, content or web page more quickly than ever before. We’ve added more categories of Smart Search, giving users better direct access to content in response to queries in popular areas such as music, films, or celebrities. The Zoom feature uses our relevancy-based technology to suggest other searches related to the original query, and the Binoculars icon shows users a thumbnail preview of a website without leaving the results page. With savvier internet users and richer content than ever before, the personalisation options have also been enhanced, to enable users to store their favourite links. Called MyStuff, the service will save selected search results to a personal portfolio of sites with justp one click.
.net: Are you pleased with the results?
TM: Yes, Ask.com has now been launched and initial results show that the site is proving popular. User figures have grown, perceptions are changing and new product launches, such as Blog Search, will continue to drive popularity. These new innovations coupled with the sleek design and improved quality of results, show that Ask.com is leading the way in a highly competitive marketplace.
Comments
joanne / 29/09/2006 / 17:22
I miss jeeves.Who is going to dress up for christmas halloween ect
D'karas Fields / 29/09/2006 / 21:21
What kind of questions and home work can you help with.
31337 AKA: Kevin Cox / 10/10/2006 / 22:38
So far, all I see is an attempt to look like Google. With new features, I don't think they have improved much with the adverts, I personally hate having to scroll down 3-5 advert links on the top then 3-5 on the bottom just to go to the next page. There is about 1/3 real content, I have liked the new tools, and the name change. But, they still do funny things like having the tool bar on the right side, maybe for the few countries that read right to left it helps. Even then, it is hard because you have to move to the search box.
I do love some things, that they have changed and added. The only thing that keeps me on Google is that they have less adverts, and have more websites in the list.
I thought I was going to become more open to the new site ask and started to use it. Then just quit because it still has to many search adverts, and has placement of toolbar links in an odd areas.
If the fix a few things like that, they would have a change to win me over.
Daniel / 14/10/2006 / 23:19
The design brief:
Make it look like Google.
A job well done.
judiann / 22/10/2006 / 23:54
i ask a simple question and all i got was absolutely nothing to do with what i asked jeeves was best
Iesha / 10/11/2006 / 14:27
Martin Luthers profressions?
Alileshia / 17/11/2006 / 02:43
I like to ask Jeevs questions.
Shelagh Brennan / 22/11/2006 / 20:16
Shelagh 11/24/06
I miss Jeeves and his English little witty mannerisms. I just wish he be automated and voice orientened. So is Jeeves planning to come back or did the someone call the N ational Immagration Service
on him,while visiting his E-mail Senorita hot tamale! MARIA POOR GUY
popo / 25/11/2006 / 21:46 / http://www.google.com
hola como estan todos espero que no agan nada con mi msn.
Cindy Smith / 30/11/2006 / 00:58 / http://none
ask is the best websit I have been on it really helps me when I need help It really lets me understand when I don't understand so I will be using ask for a long time.
jami / 05/12/2006 / 17:49
jeeves was the best, right?
dayonna / 12/12/2006 / 21:59 / http://www.google.com
i asked for things on rhode island and they gave me nothing but i went to jeeves and got everything i needed.
Ann Cotales / 13/12/2006 / 02:47 / http://Antoniacost@aol.com
Why do you ask if your humand
bob the bilder / 14/12/2006 / 16:11 / http://hotmail
hi i like jeeves hehe lol bye
braidan / 15/12/2006 / 02:58
dude your music is the suckiest song iv'e ever seen.
Jake / 17/12/2006 / 19:07
I love the new site but I still miss Jeeves alot cuz he was one of my very closest tutters
supermoy / 17/12/2006 / 19:34 / http://www.ask.com
I am human.............Fear me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Why did you ask that?
M / 03/01/2007 / 16:01
what does ecinomical mean
Billie Garadner / 15/01/2007 / 23:50
Who sings the intro song on the show "King of Queens"?
KIM STEER / 24/01/2007 / 11:06
CAN I TAKE ANADIN EXTRA IF I AM TAKING COLOFAC TABLETS 135MG
P R Owen / 25/01/2007 / 23:12
Whatever you did to the "old" site, what you have now is both obscure and a pathetic shadow of its former self. My advice is to get the old one back because this one is useless!
sheila rudd / 25/02/2007 / 16:07
bring back jeeves please
TRICIA / 03/03/2007 / 23:41
how often does a lunar eclipse happen.
lucey / 20/03/2007 / 20:50 / http://google
thats the best website ever and I realyy like the info of anything they did there reascearch
colleenwright / 02/04/2007 / 01:38
p.c. clock running fast. can you help x.
Ben / 04/05/2007 / 15:11 / http://www.decafstudio.co.uk
I personally think it was a big, if calculated gamble, to get rid of one of the most recognised brand " Jeeve " altogether from your site.
What really should have been done is to provide an entry point where user can choose, " Q&A " and " General web search ". That way you provide a better user experience and at the same time keep the loyal jeeve fans.
It might be costly, but not too late to do a " Ask Reloaded ".
Sue Shocklee / 24/05/2007 / 08:24
Maybe you felt like Jeeves needed some updating or catching up with the jones's but I liked it just the way it was. It was easy to navigate and you got your answers without going around the world. All you had to do was type in ask Jeeves and then ask your question and there it was. It seems now that things are not that simple. Please bring back Jeeves as it was before. I sure do miss it.
Cindy / 10/06/2007 / 03:12
Does the the dot above the i and j have a name?If it does what is it ?
barabara harris / 24/06/2007 / 16:50
BRING BACK JEEVES SO MUCH EASIER
john / 16/07/2007 / 22:20
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON ???????????? what happen to my nice easy site?? i am not smart enough to figure out how to use this AAARRRGGGGGG
nancy / 19/07/2007 / 19:03
where can I get a copy of the Kiersey temperament test
hannah shaffer / 09/10/2007 / 15:49 / http://ask.com
I don't even know why I'm on this website ,but ya'll are fuckin awesome!!
CHUCK / 11/10/2007 / 18:13
I want jeeves back. please do what you can to get him back to us. tell him we will give him a $5,000 per year raise.
Cat Stephensen / 30/10/2007 / 17:57
Though Jeeves was binned because of legalities - like whoever owns the rights to Bertie and Wooster objecting to a butler called Jeeves starring on a search engine without the owners prior permission. Tha's what I read somewhere else, anyway.
james / 18/12/2007 / 06:24
Yes Ask. Com is a nice web site!!
let assume the word will settle! But when?
johnetha / 02/01/2008 / 23:09
I really like jeeves so you guys say he's on vacation I hope he has a good one, I also hope comes back really soon he's a great source of information,though I like ask.com I love Ask jeeves.com.
David Haynes / 27/01/2008 / 07:27
I just submitted a simple question on www.Ask.com; Who is the owner of Ask.com, and was led to this page.
The information that I was seeking was not made available to me. Maybe I should go back to Google and submit the same question, think I will!
DARRYL CLAY / 19/02/2008 / 12:40 / http://www.Colossus.com
It seemed sooo simple. Jeeves, everybody misses you. Jeeves should hold a press conference over at HP and restate all the current facts. Jeeves is still around and looks to gonna' always be around. Now about Ask.com. Ask.com has never really been related to Jeeves and just happens to contain the word "ask" in the Ask.com name. Originally, Jeeves had a very small part in the design concept of Ask.com. Some content ideas were in fact retrieved from the HP mailbot known as Jeeves, but the two were never considered in the same application for web and internet. Thanks for lettin' me get that off my chest!!
DARRYL CLAY / 19/02/2008 / 12:50 / http://www.colossus.com
An answer to a David Haynes question. The actual owner of www.Ask.com is in reality a Technology Company affiliated with IAC(Interactive Corp). The technology research company refuses to divulge the actual name of it's systems engineers and infrastructure integration specialists, but they did say your old buddy Jeeves played a part in the final preparations before Ask.com was released on the web.
