ChaCha : User Experience Strategy & Design

ChaCha, an innovative human-powered search engine, is bringing internet searchers differentiated value through its tag-line toted offering of "Search + Brainpower." In addition to instant search capabilities, searchers can opt for human assisted search and receive the insight of an Expert Guide that not only offers search expertise, but also subject matter knowledge as well.

Guides are the most tangible representation of the ChaCha brand. The extent to which Guides are able to deliver great search results directly impacts the users' perception of ChaCha. Understanding this dynamic well, ChaCha approached KA+A to significantly improve the experience its Guides were having. Specifically, ChaCha asked KA+A to research, define, design and deliver a cutting-edge, web-based application to assist Guides in their search duties.

User profiling was the best way to begin the design process. KA+A came to understand what powered the ideal Guide – one that is driven to know more about their area of expertise and to pass that knowledge along to web searchers. Such Guides are not interested in merely providing simple answers, but rather in a richer exploration of information and an expression of their own knowledge.

KA+A utilized qualitative research methodologies, including interviews, focus-groups, and user observation to see into the Guide experience. Out of this process, several distinct issues emerged. KA+A articulated these issues and then led ChaCha through a focusing exercise in order to prioritize a set of solutions in terms of importance and feasibility.

Good strategy involves not only what to do, but also what not to do. ChaCha thus chose to focus on three areas for immediate focus: Assessment, Communication, and User Interface Design. KA+A led the ChaCha Guide Experience team through a series of visualization exercises, developed functional requirements specifications, and designed process maps and annotated wireframes to inform the ongoing development process.

KA+A quickly developed unique solutions to the three areas affecting the guide experience. Armed with better Guide suitability assessments, ChaCha was able to attract and cultivate world-class search experts. ChaCha's focus on improving Guide Communication has increased Guide loyalty, satisfaction, and effectiveness. The redesigned user interface delivered on the promise of providing the most effective, user-friendly search tool on the planet.

The result of this work is a more focused and educated Guide pool operating within an enhanced and well-defined experience. The application will enable ChaCha to bring a new and deeper sense of connection and effectiveness to its Guide community. The application will be released in Q1 of 2008.