Searching the long tail

The long tail theory says there is latent demand for each piece of information created -- not just the most popular ones. And with the reach of corporate intranets, portals and the Internet, it is now possible to satisfy the long tail of demand out of the very end. The long tail is simply a power law -- the distribution behind the famous 80/20 rule. Power laws crop up all over. The common elements in all these cases are freedom of choice combined with a large number of options. Human searching behavior is not a problem: it is an untapped resource. To manage choice in the long tail, people need a solution where: 1. Discrete attributes aid prediction. 2. Integrated search and navigation support adaptation. 3. Consistent context encourages iteration. 4. Spotlighting drives users further down the long tail.