Google is already pretty good at delivering information right when we ask, but naturally, it wants to get better. It wants to get so good, in fact, that it’s been looking into what sort of questions people have but never think to search for. That’s according to MIT Technology Review‘s Tom Simonite, who spent three days participating in Google study that aimed to find out what was on his mind.
Here’s the issue Google is facing: search is good for a bevy of information, but there are still times when we’re wondering something and don’t immediately hit up Google for the answer. Either we can’t be bothered to sit down at the computer and look up the answers to our questions, or we look to another resource for the information we’re seeking first. This prompted Google’s lead user experience designer for search Jon Wiley to kick off the Daily Information Needs Study, which asked around 150 people what they were wondering at 8 random times throughout the day over a three day stretch.
Wiley isn’t willing to share the results of the study yet, but even without the results in-hand, we know that it brings Google a little closer to its goal of providing information right when users need it. “We’ve often said the perfect search engine will provide you with exactly what you need to know at exactly the right moment, potentially without you having to ask for it,” Wiley told Simonite. This new method of search could even use data phone – such as GPS information – to guess at what you’re thinking before you ever think to turn to the search giant.
It sounds like this could go hand-in-hand with Google Now, which is already focusing on using data from your phone to deliver personalized information that you can actually benefit from. This will definitely be an ongoing effort from the big G, so we’re excited to see where it goes next. Keep it tuned here to Android Community for more information.
