I realized not long ago that TIMED search challenges were out-of-step with my current thinking about information fluency.
Being fluent doesn't mean locating the "right" answer everytime, or on the first attempt or as fast as possible. A timed challenge puts pressure on the searcher, but this is not how it is in the real world. What matters when one is trying to find information that 1) is not yet known and 2) is in a place that is still unknown is being able to locate it, even after multiple failures. That can still be fluency.
As a result, the previous 7 Timed Search Challenges have been archived--they are still available--and a new format has be introduced. Instead of unlimited attempts, now one gets 5 tries, each time with an expert search hint to guide the process.
Search challenges like these are not intended for purposes of evaluation, but learning: learning to think like a digital researcher who is fluent with a variety of search box strategies.
Give them a try! Some are familiar and some are new. There are now 8 Guided Search Challenges, followed by 8 more in a series called Needle and Haystack.
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