Search Crawler

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Project overview

This feature empowers knowledge base admins to easily integrate federated search into their help center—without requiring developer resources typically needed for API implementation.  Admins can set up multiple crawlers to efficiently index content from various sources, whether within the same website or across different domains. This enhancement strengthens Zendesk’s role as a unified resource, making it the go-to destination for diverse content needs.
  • Client
    Zendesk
  • Date
    October  2019
  • Role
    Lead designer

Discovery research

Before committing time and resources to the federated search initiative, we conducted a discovery research phase. Our primary goal was to gain a deep understanding of the demand for external content within the Guide help center and identify the specific types of content that administrators wanted to index.
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To establish a strong foundation for our research, we conducted moderated one-hour interviews with eight enterprise customers. Insights from the early access program (EAP) for federated Help Center search highlighted a major challenge: the need to create a custom integration with external content APIs. To overcome this, we developed a search crawler.

Beta release & usability  testing

The early access program (BETA) for federated Help Center search revealed a major challenge: the need for custom API integration. To address this, we developed a search crawler and structured the project into key phases: building the crawler setup flow, creating an admin interface, developing setup email notifications, and enhancing the search experience.
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Following internal design critiques and feasibility testing, we launched the feature to select customers through BETA, conducting usability tests to gather feedback. These tests confirmed we were on the right track while also identifying areas for improvement, which we addressed before the full release.

Project Impacts & Key Takeaways

The Federated Search Initiative spanned two years, starting before the pandemic with in-person collaboration and transitioning to a fully remote setup.
Over this period, three product managers and two tech leads led the project. Keeping the team motivated was a challenge, addressed through regular retrospectives, one-on-one sessions with project leads, and team outings to boost morale.

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