Susan E. Aldrich Senior Vice President Senior Consultant/Analyst (Link to Full Bio) (PDF of Full Bio) Current Research Focus: Search Solution Landscape Product Search, Findability, and Navigation Self-Service and Support Search Enterprise Search Site Search Quality of Customer Experience (QCE)SM Customer Metrics

The Essentials

• Enterprise Search Planning and Evaluation Matrix, Version 3
  A Blank Matrix to Facilitate Your Evaluation
  01/17/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• Enterprise Search Planning and Evaluation Framework, Version 3
  How to Plan and Select Search, Navigation, and Discovery Solutions for Web Sites, Applications, Intranets, and as Enterprise Platforms
  01/03/2008 - Susan Aldrich

Featured Research

• End-to-End Search Marketing and Customer Experience
  Summary of Survey Results
  06/26/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 2, Public Companies: Terrific 2007
  06/19/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• Airbus’s Super Jumbo Content Challenge
  Fine-Grained Information Objects, Variants, and Layered Architecture Form the Solution
  05/08/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 1, Privately Held Companies: Strong Second Half Finishes a Strong 2007
  03/27/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• Roles and Responsibilities
  Patty’s Dream Team: Roles and Responsibilities
  03/19/2008 - Patricia Seybold with Susan Aldrich
• Five Principles of Customer Engagement
  How to Connect More People to the Products They Need
  02/28/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• SLI Systems Learning Search Ecommerce January 2008
  Integrated, Automated Internet and Site Search Marketing
  02/14/2008 - Susan Aldrich
• Avoiding Search Pitfalls
  How to Sidestep and Recover from the Worst Problems
  11/08/2007 - Susan Aldrich 
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 1, Privately-Held Companies: Very Strong First Half in 2007
  10/11/2007 - Susan Aldrich 
• The First Big Mistake in Search and Knowledge Projects
  Establishing the Right Vision and Compelling Communications
  07/19/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Customer Support: Success with Knowledge Management
  Developmental Model Observed
  06/07/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Enterprise Search Evaluation: Endeca Information Access Platform V.5.1
  Ecommerce Search, Merchandising, and Marketing
  05/10/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• High Technology Search and Navigation Test Drive
  Finding Specific Information about FAST ESP, Google Search Appliance, IBM OmniFind Edition and Oracle Secure Enterprise Search
  04/19/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 2, Public Companies: Tremendous Second Half in 2006
  04/05/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Enterprise Search Evaluation: Mercado CSN V.4.0
  Ecommerce Search, Merchandising and Marketing
  03/22/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Enterprise Search Evaluation: Celebros Qwiser Salesperson V.4.0
  Retail Ecommerce Search
  03/01/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 1, Private Companies: Strong Second Half in 2006
  02/01/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Enterprise Search Evaluation: Fredhopper Access Server V.6.0 Evaluation
  Marketing Automation, Scalability, and Configurable Search for Commerce
  01/25/2007 - Susan Aldrich
• Oracle Secure Enterprise Search V. 10.1.8 Evaluation
  Competent Search for Corporate Intranets and Search Embedded in Applications
  12/21/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Enterprise Search Solution RFP Template
  Patricia Seybold Group’s Template for Preparing an RFP for Site Search
  11/30/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Site Search Self-Assessment
  How Does Your Company’s Search Capability Stack Up?
  11/02/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Self-Service Resolution: Cable TV Companies
  Comparing Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon Search Experiences
  09/21/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 2, Private Companies: Strong First Half in 2006
  08/24/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 1, Public Companies: Slowing First Half in 2006
  08/17/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• What Differentiates the Search Experience?
  Philosophy and Search Management Make the Difference at Online Department Stores
  07/27/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Experience Metrics
  Key Indicators You Should Be Tracking for Customer Search Experience
  07/06/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Seeker Experience Survey
  Is Search Getting Better?
  06/01/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Bloomingdales.com
  Merchandising and Customer Experience
  04/27/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: bp4-27-06cc
• Macys.com
  Merchandising and Customer Experience
  04/13/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: bp4-13-06cc
• Product Search Research Collection
  Establishing evaluation criteria, in-depth analysis, side-by-side comparison, and ranking of five leading product search providers (ATG, Endeca, FAST, Mercado, and WebSideStory)
  03/30/2006 - Susan Aldrich
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 2, Private Companies: Terrific Second Half in 2005
  03/30/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: ta3-30-06cc
• Search Product and Company Update
  Part 1, Public Companies: Mixed Second Half in 2005
  03/16/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: ta3-16-06cc
• Knova Self-Service V.6.5: Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Advanced Linguistics, Auto Classification, and Ontologies
  03/02/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr3-3-06cc
• PSGroup Bull’s-Eye: Product Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Overall Capabilities? Featuring ATG, Endeca, FAST, Mercado, and WebSideStory
  02/16/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgb2-16-06cc
• Emerchandising Framework
  Applying the 4 Es for Customer Ease
  01/19/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgp1-19-06cc
• Product Search Solution Feature Comparison Matrix Round 2
  Comparing ATG, Endeca, FAST, Mercado, and WebSideStory against Our Evaluation Framework
  01/19/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: cm1-19-06cc
• Product Search Solution Evaluation Matrix
  A Blank Matrix to Facilitate Your Evaluation Process
  01/19/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: em1-19-06cc
• Search Goals for 2006: Yearning to Find It All
  Needed Improvements to Internet Search
  01/05/2006 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgp1-5-06cc
• ATG Commerce Search V.2006.1 Product Search Solution
  Cross-Lifecycle Customer Experience and Cross-Channel Marketing
  12/22/2005 - Susan Aldrich —  DOI: pr12-22-05cc
• InQuira Self-Service and Support Search Update
  Intents, Concepts, and Advanced Linguistics
  12/01/2005 - Susan Aldrich —  DOI: pr12-1-05cc
• Data Search and Discovery
  Search Meets Reporting
  11/17/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgp11-17-05cc
• Verity Ultraseek V. 5.4 Enterprise Search Solution
  Search with Topic Navigation
  11/10/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr11-10-05cc
• Google Search Appliance Enterprise Search Solution
  Complete Automation of Search
  10/27/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr10-27-05cc
• Endeca InFront V.4.7 Product Search Solution
  Guided Navigation and Advanced Merchandising
  10/6/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr10-6-05cc
• WebSphere Information Integrator OmniFind Edition: IBM’s Enterprise Search Solution
  Architecture, Vendor Community, Specialization
  09/22/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr9-22-05cc
• IBM’s Strategy for Search
  Unstructured Information Management Architecture Signals Sea Change
  09/08/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgp9-8-05cc
• Survey: How Companies Apply Software to Improve Customer Service
  Companies Want to Deliver an Effective Customer Experience for Customer Self-Service
  09/01/2005 - Susan Aldrich, Mitchell Kramer, and Stephen Wands — DOI:sa9-1-05cc
• iPhrase OneStep InterAct V.5.1 Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Excellence in Search Management, Reporting, and Managed Escalation
  08/25/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr8-25-05cc
• Search Product and Company Update
  State of the Market: Good First Half in 2005
  08/11/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: ta8-11-05cc
• Autonomy IDOL Server V.5.0 Enterprise Search Solution
  Taxonomy, Concept Navigation, and Collaboration Support
  07/28/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr7-28-05cc
• WebSideStory Search Product Search Solution
  Hosted Search and Navigation
  07/14/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr7-14-05cc
• Northern Light Enterprise Search Engine V.3.0
  Low Price, High Value, and Programmer Friendly
  06/23/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr6-23-05cc
• Interviewing Customers for Your Customer Scenario Mapping Session
  The Pre-Session Interview Enables Great Customer Scenario Choices
  06/16/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: me6-16-05cc
• Establishing Customer Experience Metrics Using Customer Scenario® Maps
  Developing Your Customer Flight Deck
  06/09/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: me6-9-05cc
• Thunderstone Search Appliance V.5.4 Enterprise Search Solution
  Simplicity, Low Cost of Ownership, and Extensibility
  05/26/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: pr5-26-05cc
• Web Services: What Companies Cared About in 2002
  Results from Our First Web Services Survey
  05/12/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: sa5-12-05cc
• Discovering Findability Requirements from Customer Scenario Maps
  Building Your Search and Navigation Approach
  05/12/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: me5-12-05cc
• Enterprise Search Solution Evaluation Matrix
  A Blank Matrix to Facilitate Your Evaluation
  04/28/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: EM4-28-05CC
• Enterprise Search Solution Evaluation Framework
  Criteria for Selecting Search, Navigation, and Discovery Solutions for Intranets and Portals
  04/07/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: FW4-7-05CC
• Managing Findability: Critical Core Competency
  Roles, Responsibilities, Programs, and Metrics You’ll Need to Make It Easy for Audiences to Find the Right Information
  03/24/2005 - Susan Aldrich — DOI: BP3-25-05CC
• Evaluating Self-Service and Support Search Solutions
  Summarizing the Evaluation Framework, the Seven Solutions, and the Comparisons
  02/03/2005 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: ca2-3-05cc
• PSGroup Bull’s-Eye: Self-Service and Support Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Overall Capabilities? Featuring EasyAsk, Endeca, FAST, InQuira, iPhrase, Knova, and Primus
  01/27/2005 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgb1-27-05cc
• PSGroup Bull’s-Eye: Self-Service and Support Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Architecture Features? Featuring EasyAsk, Endeca, FAST, InQuira, iPhrase, Knova, and Primus
  01/20/2005 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgb1-20-05cc
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Self-Service and Support Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Design and Development Features? Featuring EasyAsk, Endeca, FAST, InQuira, iPhrase, Knova, and Primus
  01/13/2005 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: psgb1-13-05cc
• Product Search, Findability, and Navigation - Volume 1: Decision Maker's Guide
  Evaluating Search Solutions that Will Help Your Customers Quickly Find the Right Products
  12/28/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: SEARCHV1DM
• Product Search, Findability, and Navigation - Volume 2: Product Reviewer's Guide
  Evaluating Search Solutions that Will Help Your Customers Quickly Find the Right Products
  12/29/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: SEARCHV2PR
• An Executive's Guide to Search and Findability
  How to Optimize Search Investments to Improve Your Customer Experience
  12/03/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: SEARCH-EXECGUIDE
• PSGroup Bull’s-Eye: Self-Service and Support Search
  Which Providers Offer the Best Controls for Managing the Search Experience? Featuring EasyAsk, Endeca, FAST, InQuira, iPhrase, Knova, and Primus
  12/02/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB12-2-04CC
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Self-Service and Support Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Retrieval and Results Capabilities? Featuring EasyAsk, Endeca, FAST, InQuira, iPhrase, Knova, and Primus
  11/23/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB11-23-04CC
• Self-Service and Support Search Solution Evaluation Matrix
  A Blank Matrix to Facilitate Your Evaluation Framework
  10/28/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: EM10-28-04CC
• Self-Service and Support Search Solution Comparison Matrix
  EasyAsk, Endeca, FAST, InQuira, iPhrase, Knova, and Primus Compared to Our Evaluation Framework
  10/28/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: CM10-28-04CC
• Primus Enterprise Search V.4 Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Classification and Context
  10/21/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR10-21-04CC
• Strategic Planning for Search
  Where We Think You’ll Want to Take Search
  10/14/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGP10-14-04CC
• How to Think about Search
  Findability Factors Include Technology and Tasks
  10/07/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGP10-7-04CC
• FAST Data Search V 4.0 Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Pipelines, Information Management, and Dynamic Navigation
  09/16/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR9-16-04CC
• Self-Service and Support Search Solution RFP Template
  Patricia Seybold Group's Template for Preparing an RFP
  09/02/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: RFPT9-2-04CC
• Knova Self-Service V.6: Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Advanced Linguistics, Auto Classification and Ontology
  08/26/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR8-26-04CC
• InQuira Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Advanced Linguistics, Dynamic Navigation, and Classification
  08/12/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR8-12-04CC
• Endeca ProFind V4.5 Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Dynamic Navigation, Team Support, and Concept Classification
  08/05/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR8-5-04CC
• EasyAsk for Commerce V.9.1 Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Advanced Linguistic Processing, Dynamic Navigation, and Federation
  07/29/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR7-29-04CC
• iPhrase OneStep V. 4.7 Self-Service and Support Search Solution
  Advanced Search and Navigation, Email Deflection, and Analytics
  07/22/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR7-22-04CC
• Self-Service and Support Search Solution Evaluation Framework
  Criteria for Selecting Search, Navigation, and Discovery Solutions for Customer and/or Partner Self-Service and Support
  06/17/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: FW6-17-04CC
• Evaluating Product Search Solutions
  Summarizing the Evaluation Framework, the Seven Solutions, and the Comparisons
  05/27/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: CA5-27-04CC
• Product Search Solution Feature Comparison Matrix
  Comparing Seven Product Search Solutions against Our Evaluation Framework
  05/20/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: CM5-20-04CC
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Product Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Overall Product Search Capabilities?
  05/13/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB5-13-04CC
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Product Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Architectures?
  05/06/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB5-6-04CC
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Product Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Design and Development Capabilities?
  04/29/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB4-29-04CC
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Product Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Merchandiser Support Capabilities?
  04/22/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB4-22-04CC
• PSGroup Bull's-Eye: Product Search Solutions
  Which Providers Offer the Best Retrieval and Results Management Capabilities?
  04/15/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PSGB4-15-04CC
• Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 Product Search Solution
  Basic Search and Advanced Merchandising
  04/15/2004 — Susan Aldrich — DOI: PR4-15-04CC
• FAST ImPulse V.5.0 Product Search