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Canada / Re: New Family Search and old IGI
« on: Tuesday 09 October 12 00:26 BST (UK) »
I am the product manager for search at FamilySearch. I'd like to share a little insight that I hope the researchers here will find helpful.
What is the status of the old site?
The software and hardware of the old site was broken. FamilySearch engineers worked very hard to keep it running long enough to transfer all the essential data and functionality onto the new site. It served well for many many years but it cannot be made available again. Search teams are very interested in specific refinements to the new site to best meet users research needs. Please use the feedback system on the site to detail specific enhancements you would like. Remember, your requests must be translated into features so clarity about the function/layout and research workflow is essential.
Is all the IGI on the new site?
No. The old IGI consisted of both indexed sources and contributed family data. Almost all of the 600+Million indexed IGI sources are searchable on the new site. Through user feedback we recently discovered that there are a few million missing indexed sources that were not initially loaded. We will be loading them shortly. We have also identified a significant portion of the contributed data that did not get loaded and it will also be included shortly. If you know a specific record was in the old IGI and you can't find it on the new site, there is a possibility that it is in the soon to be loaded data.
Where is the IGI on the new site?
Indexed IGI sources have been grouped into the collections they came from and are searchable from the home page "Records" search form. Batch numbers entered on the home page "Records" search form will return only results in the batch for indexed IGI records. You can also choose to search the indexed IGI by going to the IGI collection page. This page is located by clicking "All Record Collections" below the home page search form and typing IGI in the "Filter by Name" box in the top left. The indexed IGI records is the default for the IGI Collection page search form and will search only the indexed records that were part of the old IGI.
Contributed IGI data is searchable from the IGI collection page by clicking the Contributed IGI radio button at the top of the search form. The form on the IGI page will also search batch numbers, indexed or contributed based on which selection you have made on the form.
We used to do one search. Can you make this simpler?
Yes. There was a bit of urgency in getting the IGI onto the new site before the old site went down. Search teams will be working on refining the IGI search experience in future releases to make it easier to search both the indexed and contributed data with a single search.
What is the status of the old site?
The software and hardware of the old site was broken. FamilySearch engineers worked very hard to keep it running long enough to transfer all the essential data and functionality onto the new site. It served well for many many years but it cannot be made available again. Search teams are very interested in specific refinements to the new site to best meet users research needs. Please use the feedback system on the site to detail specific enhancements you would like. Remember, your requests must be translated into features so clarity about the function/layout and research workflow is essential.
Is all the IGI on the new site?
No. The old IGI consisted of both indexed sources and contributed family data. Almost all of the 600+Million indexed IGI sources are searchable on the new site. Through user feedback we recently discovered that there are a few million missing indexed sources that were not initially loaded. We will be loading them shortly. We have also identified a significant portion of the contributed data that did not get loaded and it will also be included shortly. If you know a specific record was in the old IGI and you can't find it on the new site, there is a possibility that it is in the soon to be loaded data.
Where is the IGI on the new site?
Indexed IGI sources have been grouped into the collections they came from and are searchable from the home page "Records" search form. Batch numbers entered on the home page "Records" search form will return only results in the batch for indexed IGI records. You can also choose to search the indexed IGI by going to the IGI collection page. This page is located by clicking "All Record Collections" below the home page search form and typing IGI in the "Filter by Name" box in the top left. The indexed IGI records is the default for the IGI Collection page search form and will search only the indexed records that were part of the old IGI.
Contributed IGI data is searchable from the IGI collection page by clicking the Contributed IGI radio button at the top of the search form. The form on the IGI page will also search batch numbers, indexed or contributed based on which selection you have made on the form.
We used to do one search. Can you make this simpler?
Yes. There was a bit of urgency in getting the IGI onto the new site before the old site went down. Search teams will be working on refining the IGI search experience in future releases to make it easier to search both the indexed and contributed data with a single search.