Poster

Track: Posters

Paper Title:
Defection Detection: Predicting Search Engine Switching

Authors:

• Allison P. Heath(Rice University)
• Ryen W. White(Microsoft Corporation)

Abstract:
Searchers have a choice about which Web search engine they use when looking for information online. If they are unsuccessful on one engine, users may switch to a different engine to continue their search. By predicting when switches are likely to occur, the search experience can be modified to retain searchers or ensure a quality experience for incoming searchers. In this poster, we present research on a technique for predicting search engine switches. Our findings show that prediction is possible at a reasonable level of accuracy, particularly when personalization or user grouping is employed. These findings have implications for the design of applications to support more effective online searching.

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