We have introduced a Topic Library to our search page to cut down the time it takes you to find the people that matter to you.
Why did we introduce Topics?
We know that many people struggle with Boolean. Its simple structure can become increasingly complex and prone to mistakes which are time consuming to spot.
We have also analysed the complexity of searches that clients use, the average search string is less than 30 characters. The majority of people also use either AND or OR statements, rarely both, to keep their search simple.
So, on one hand there are power users constructing large, complex queries, which can be prone to error. On the other, people not taking advantage of the power of Boolean because of this complexity. Topics wrap these problems up to enable both groups to spend less time constructing the perfect query, more time doing everything else.
Restrictions
Only one Topic can be selected at a time for this release. We plan to add multiple topics in the future.
"Hold on, I like Boolean!"
Don't worry Boolean geeks, you can still use that on our Advanced Search page. You can turbo charge your Boolean searches by selecting a Topic and switching to the Advanced Search. The Boolean will be copied over where you can edit it.
N.B. This does not work in reverse. Edits are not saved to the Topic Library.
Topic Search overview
How to find a Topic
Topics are divided up into categories, such as Technology, Health, Business, Developers, which can be searched or navigated through.
Navigate through the categories by selecting the dropdowns.
When searching categories, your search is looking through the name and the Boolean associated with it. This means that you will be less likely to miss a topic based on what you enter. It may even help you redefine your search.
In the example below, the topic "Health" contains the phrase, "Future of Health" in the Boolean.
If you hover over the topic you can discover how it was matched.
Feedback
Suggest a topic for your Topic Library - click here
If you have general feedback - click here