Organizing information by putting it into alphabetical order or including it in a search engine is an example of how to improve discoverability.
[1] The usability of any piece of information directly relates to how discoverable it is, either in a "walled garden" database or on the open Internet.
This example is oriented around online purchasing behaviour, but an algorithm could also be programmed to provide suggestions based on other factors (e.g., searching, viewing, etc.).
As of 2017, modes of searching include looking on Netflix for movies, Spotify for music, Audible for audio books, etc., although the concept can also more generally be applied to content found on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and other websites.
Just as traditional paper printing created other physical locations that stood out, such as being "above the fold" of a newspaper versus "below the fold", a web page or app's screenview may have certain locations that give features additional visibility to users, such as being right at the bottom of the web page or screen.
Some features cannot be seen, but there is a convention that if the user places the mouse cursor in a certain area, then a toolbar or function option will become visible.
As of 2017, the addition of motion sensors and geotracking to mobile devices has made webpage design for discoverability more complex, because smartphones and tablets are typically capable of having many more inputs from the user than a 1980s era desktop, including "swiping" the touchscreen, touching images on the screen, or tilting the device.
Note that when an organization takes action to increase the SEO of its website, this does not normally involve changes to the search engine itself; rather, it involves adding metadata tags and original content, among other strategies, to increase the "visibility" of the website to search engine algorithms.
[8] In case of a 'service registry', the repository can also be used to include QoS, SLA and the current state of a service.
The application of the standardized service contract principle helps to create the basic functional meta-data in a consistent manner.
The effective application of this design principle requires that the meta-information recorded against each service needs to be consistent and meaningful.
This is only possible if organization-wide standards exist that enforce service developers to record the required meta-data in a consistent way.
This principle is best applied during the service-oriented analysis phase as during this time, all the details about the service's purpose and functionality are available.
If a social media website has a user profile for a given person, indicating demographic information (age, gender, location of residence, employment status, education, etc.
[14] One concern raised with the increasing role of algorithms in search engines and databases is the creation of filter bubbles.
However, various cultural stakeholders have raised concerns about how these filter algorithms may restrict the diversity of material that is discoverable to users.
With this search function, a user can enter the name of a TV show, producer, actor, screenwriter or genre to help them find content of interest to them.
If the user cannot find the product or service on a subsequent search, she or he may no longer look for this product/service, and instead shift to a substitute that is easily and reliably findable.
It is not enough to make the online product or service discoverable for only a short period, unless the goal is only to create “viral content" as part of a short-term marketing campaign.