Revisiting the Basics: How Round Robin Improved Search Relevancy - Haystack US 2024

Explore how revisiting fundamental techniques can significantly enhance search relevance in this conference talk from Haystack US 2024. Discover the journey of improving an enterprise-level application's search performance by implementing a standard Round Robin algorithm. Learn about the challenges faced in aligning comprehensive data views with individual verticals and boosting underperforming search relevance metrics. Examine the experimentation process with three methods for merging vertical datasets, and understand why the Round Robin algorithm emerged as the most effective solution. Gain insights into tailoring the algorithm to prioritize specific datasets based on business requirements and customer expectations. Analyze the impressive results, including substantial improvements in internal relevance metrics for both implicit and explicit human judgments, with a notable increase in the explicit judgment ERR score from 0.49 to 0.61. Delve into the reasons why simple, traditional solutions like the Round Robin algorithm can still offer surprising value in today's advanced search technology landscape. Benefit from the expertise of Joelle Robinson, a Senior Software Engineer at Moody's with extensive experience in search optimization and relevance improvement.