Blog Posts
I recently developed a SharePoint 2010 solution which includes an advanced search web part which allows the users to perform enterprise searches and view the returned results in a graphical rich representation.
As an architect I want to ensure that the search results that are returned to the user match what the user wanted to find and that the results that are returned on the first page are the most relevant, so the user does not have to look through several pages of results to find the best matches for their search. This is called Search Relevancy.
It is very important to realize the difference between Sorting and Ranking. In my own words I would describe Sorting as the process or arranging objects according to a specific attribute of the item. An example would be the books in a library.
Ranking is where an item takes precedence over other items based on a combination of attributes. Examples of this would be how tools in a workshop are arranged, how equipment is arranged in an E.R. room, how individuals are ranked based on the role they play in the military, or even how food items are arranged in the supermarket. One realize from these examples that there is no single property which can be used to determine the ranking of such items and that Ranking is based on the importance an item has in a given situation.
