User Story
As a reader in a Hybrid Search experiment variant, I want to see meaning-based results before traditional article results, so that I can explore whether semantic retrieval helps me find relevant information faster.
Description
Introduce a C-group layout variant for the Hybrid Search experiment where semantic results are presented above lexical results on the search results page.
This variant exists solely to test whether result positioning influences engagement, trust, or perceived relevance, independent of retrieval quality.
The control (A) and primary experiment (B) groups remain unchanged.
Requirements
Semantic Results (Top Section – C Group Only)
- The top of the results page displays a clearly labeled semantic results section
- Section contains up to 3 semantic results
- Results are rendered as section-level excerpts returned from semantic retrieval embeddings
- Results are presented in a horizontal, scrollable list
- Each semantic result includes:
- Article title
- Excerpt text
- Provenance indicator (article and section, when available)
- Tapping a semantic result navigates to the relevant article section
Lexical Results (Secondary Section)
- Lexical results appear below the semantic section
- Display up to 3 lexical results
- Presented in a vertical list
- Each result includes:
- Article title
- Thumbnail image when available
- Tapping a lexical result navigates to the article page
General Behavior
- Layout applies only to the Hybrid Search C group
- A and B groups retain their respective layouts
- Semantic and lexical sections remain visually distinct
- No interleaving of results across sections
Notes:
- This task is explicitly designed to test positioning bias, not to propose a default UX
- Semantic results must be clearly labeled to avoid confusion or trust erosion
- Any negative trust or performance signals should be treated as stop signals for this layout
Design:
Note: When semantic search is displayed before keyword search, we should restrict the deep search cards to 8-9 lines max, so both are visible in smaller screens without scrolling.
Copy and Translations: TBA