New "Improved" search, more whinging.

[SoupDragon]

On the "update" page you say this: We have upgraded our general Search function in the new platform so that it’s faster, returns more relevant results etc.

if it is returning "more relevant results" why do I get this rubbish when searching for the word "worms"? The results are completely and utterly irrelevant. This is not an isolated thing.

@kitchens4ever the width is the same but the post layout is slightly different. We’re collecting all the feedback about the design and we’re discussing it.

@ShirleyPhallus @Johnnysgirl it will include a field to search for a user.

There were some changes made to the current search to make it easier to filter this week. The advanced search function is in progress.

@KatyMumsnet I dont understand the problem then as I have to scroll far far more than previously and others are saying the same. This is an issue for those who struggle to scroll so makes MN less inclusive for all. Are you saying there is no more scrolling? With this problem and photos that cant be viewed I think you should revert to a layout that is inclusive until you can make the new format inclusive. Thank you

@KatyMumsnet - I’ve also been waiting for the improvements to the search after the replatforming, and it’s good to see that the date filter slider has gone (it was completely unusable), and you can search by past day/month/year/custom dates - horray!

But the “search by username” is still pretty bad - if you select that filter, I think it only produces results of threads that that poster has started, whereas I (sometimes) want to search for threads they’ve posted on, but haven’t started (like the old search).

Can you reinstate that function too please?

@kitchens4ever as I said before we are reviewing and discussing all the issues that are raised but it's not possible to revert back

@Wigeon glad to hear you're finding the change to the date filter useful! When we rebuilt the search function we focused on the main website search rather than advanced search features, which is why you can only see threads users have started right now. We are working on the advanced search features now and you will be able to search users' replies.

Why put the new "improved" search out when it clearly wasn't finished?

We are working on the advanced search features now and you will be able to search users' replies.

but we already had those. Why on earth would you just remove them and make search less functional than before?

Thanks for the reply @KatyMumsnet. Also a bit bemused, like PPs, why it got worse before it can get back to how it previously was, but glad to hear you’re adding that back in.

@KatyMumsnet sorry I dont understand your reply. Are you saying it is only me scrolling more or it is a feature of the new system? If there is more scrolling then it is not inclusive for all not just for me. Not sure what you need to discuss to decide if there is more scrolling or not.

Is the search function ever going to be fixed so that it is actually usable?

This is the same list Justine posted a month ago. Its a cut and paste from the guidelines on one category of accessibility, not accessibility in actual usage or across the range of access issues.

The actual lived reality for those of us using accessibility software is that the upgrade has rendered the site far less usable. Even navigation within a thread, bookmarks etc still doesn't work reliably.

Good search is also a key accessibility tool on any large site. It significantly reduces manual /command effort trawling through results and threads. Engagement with disabled users should highlight this, relying on budget scanning tools will not.

Searching by a user who is knowledgeable on a topic used to give me a list of their posts within a time range and I could see immediately the likely threads. Now it gives a list of threads which may not even contain the poster and I have to trawl through each thread to see if its relevant. Ditto finding threads via posters I simply find interesting.

Whoever you paid to advise you that assuming typos and skewing search to the first post on a site like MN should be giving you a refund - that model rarely works well on SM sites with high levels of poster and community interaction. Its mainly suitable for less socially driven sites where discussions tend to be shorter and on topic.

Unless of course the objective is just to achieve more overall clicks and ad presentations as MNers try to find stuff.

I’m wondering this, are MNHQ just hoping we will stop complaining and they can cross it off their list….?

I’m wondering this, are MNHQ just hoping we will stop complaining and they can cross it off their list….?

Can't think of any other reason to be fair. I suspect this is 100% their strategy.

I strongly believe a lot people are just getting fed up of repeating the same issues and leaving the site because they know it's never going to get sorted.

I'm sure in most cases the response will be a we are working on it placating post and then crossed fingers hoping people stop asking.

They claimed to be "working on it" on another thread.

I don't understand how on Earth this was an "improvement". The old Advanced Search was far from perfect but it worked way better.

the problems with this "new improved" search weren't apparent when they had the beta site running for testing.

Hi all

We are working on search so please bear with us - we've got some testers, too which should make it much better.

I don't mean to sound like a twat but honestly how are you still only at the we are working on this stage?

The old search was notoriously crap but at least it did actually search so I'm not quite sure how the new search still needs working on. Even if you started with the old search as a template how can it take so long to get it to get it to work?

Yeah i agree, I’ve worked a lot on website development stuff and this should just be at the “snagging list” phase whereby you’re just doing small bits of remedial work. It should take a few days max to get sorted, I can’t understand why it’s taking so long!

Hi all

We're building an advanced search function which is a big job. Changing queries and indexing more content in the back end of search is complicated and it's not possible to revert back to the old version.

We understand your frustration, but we're moving as fast as we can on it. It is a priority for us and it is in development!