Publications

Since there has been such a thing as Web search, Udi Manber has been working on Web search. Previously a computer science professor at the University of Arizona, then a senior vice president at Amazon and Yahoo's chief scientist, Manber is now vice president in charge of search quality for Google, where he makes sure results are engineered to the utmost (near) perfection. In one of the only public interviews he's ever sat down for, Manber gives PM a glimpse into how Google's dominant engine helps you find what you want, how you can help it find you and how search is constantly evolving with the pace of technology. -- Glenn Derene

How have you seen search evolve in the time that you�ve been working in the field?

It�s been tremendous. I like to say that it�s almost science fiction every five years. When the first search engine appeared in '94, compared with when I came out of academia in '99, compared with the way it was in 2003, compared with the way it is today--every five years there have been just incredible advances. What we do now, we couldn�t have foreseen 10 years ago. Today we�re finding a lot more information, and the questions are getting a lot harder. People expect more from us.

Does the increase in information make the job of search exponentially harder because the volume of material is so high, or easier because of the increased linkage of information?

I think some of it is easier, but overall it�s harder, because people�s expectations are so high. Ten years ago, when you found anything, it was a miracle. Okay, I shouldn�t say a miracle, but a surprise: 'Hey, look at this! I got what I wanted." Today, if you don�t find everything you�re looking for, then something is wrong. And that�s the way we look at it, too. If your question is clear, you should get the answer. But now we�re getting into a situation where the questions are no longer always clear. People want more complicated information, and that�s much harder.

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