What is Qwiki?

Qwiki is a new start-up that was first featured at TechCrunch back on September 27th, 2010. According to Qwiki, they seek to “forever improve the way people experience information”. So, what exactly does that mean to us?

Well, before we answer that question, do you remember the 2002 science fiction film “The Time Machine“?  Hint: click to expand image below.

In the movie, Guy Pearce (scientist and inventor) interacts with a futuristic holographic computer called Vox, portrayed by Orlando Jones.  In the movie, Vox is the evolved state of computing intelligence – a reference source of all human knowledge. When asked a question, Vox would collect the data and present back the most relevant details to the user (Guy Pearce). This is essentially the goal at Qwiki – “to advance information technology to the point it acts human”.

Qwiki is changing the paradigm for search. The cool thing about Qwiki is that it does more than simply deliver your standard formatted text or image search results. It delivers the content in a multimedia format, including visuals and audio narratives. These “narratives” or storyboards, are referred to as Qwikis (quick wikis).

How exactly does Qwiki work?  Here’s a brief overview:

1. The Qwiki user is prompted to enter a keyword or topic in the search bar of their site.
2. Qwiki then runs a search and quickly aggregates the results.
3. The search results are then delivered to the user in a visual format, including a presentation.
4. The presentations are narrative-style slideshows which are generated on the fly.

What’s the Verdict on Qwiki?

I believe it’s too early to say. However, regardless of what search engine you favor, I believe Qwiki is destined to have a major impact by helping to redefine the way search results are delivered. Imagine a day (not long from now) when we can run a voice-activated search and find exactly what we are seeking. Google popularized the idea of voice-activated search via it’s mobile app but the technology is still in its infancy. While Qwiki does not have a voice-activated search feature, it is moving us one step closer to “The Time Machine’s” fictionalized Vox. I think it’s safe to say that combining a visual, audio, and narrative formatted search result is no easy task. Qwiki has done an amazing job of bringing this technology to life. I see big things happening for this company and can’t wait to see what they do next.

At the moment, Qwiki is still in Alpha but they do allow new users to sign-up for future accounts. If this type of technology interests you, make sure to follow them on Twitter @Qwiki. However, before you leave, watch Qwiki’s demo video or click below and tell me what you think.

Is Qwiki the future of search consumption?

Check out the #qwiki buzz on Twitter!

There’s a lot of buzz around this thing called Semantic Search, and for good reason. The real goal behind semantic search technology is to essentially enable the retrieval of accurate information via concept or meaning match. Semantic search doesn’t replace the traditional web but has the power to enhance it. I don’t deny that today’s major search engines do a good job at answering most search inquiries. However, the great hope with semantic search is that it may one day be able to go beyond the keywords that we type, and find exactly what we mean. This is good news if you are a recruiter and in the business of search. If your job is tied to sourcing on the web, hop over to Boolean Black Belt with Glen Cathy and check out his fantastic post on Semantic Search for Sourcers and Recruiters. One look at his site and you will quickly see why I believe Glen Cathey is a search rock-star.

Oh, and of course, definitely make sure to grab a copy of the amazing whitepaper authored by Shally Steckerl and Bryan Starbuck (CEO of TalentSpring). You can download a copy of their whitepaper on semantic search by clicking here. If you’re on Twitter, and like their whitepaper, make sure to follow @Shally and @BryanStarbuck and let them know your thoughts!

Webbr Launches a Very Visual Social Network – Mashable.