Why is discovery better than search? One reason is because of the overload of data – both online and in-house. Searching for something, whether via Google or using scripts written by programmers that peruse huge data storage repositories, requires you to invest a great deal of time and effort in order to ferret out the results you really need from a huge amount of non-relevant data – because the context of what you are searching for is not always clear. Discovery – where a system proactively presents to you what you are really looking for based on the context of what you are doing or searching for – is the Next Big Thing in data usage.
When you add context to search, you get discovery – a system where the data you need is delivered based on materials you are examining, where you are, what app you’re using, the type of device you are using (i.e. screen size and input tools), whether you are moving or stationary, etc. Done this way, discovery saves a huge amount of time, effort, and resources over search. Search is fine for quick, specific answers, but awful at discovering and exploring new ideas. Discovery reveals worlds you didn’t know existed.
By David Lavenda
