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Search & Retrieval

Query Intent

Query intent is the underlying goal behind a search query (what the user is trying to accomplish), used to tailor ranking and results.

Also known as: Search intent, User intent, Intent classification

Definition

Query intent is the purpose behind a query: what the user wants to find or do. Search systems use intent signals to decide which result types to show, which fields to weight, and how to rank candidates.

Why it matters

  • Better relevance: the same words can mean different things depending on intent.
  • Correct result type: intent can shift results toward definitions, documents, filters, or actions.
  • Fewer zero-result searches: understanding intent enables safer expansions and fallbacks.
  • Measurable improvement: intent segments make analytics and tuning more precise.

How it works

Query -> signals (terms, entities, history) -> intent guess -> ranking strategy

Common intent groupings include informational, navigational, and transactional. In domain search (legal/tax), intent can be “find the source”, “understand meaning”, or “compare versions”.

Practical example

If a user searches “Article 26 WIB92”, the likely intent is source lookup. A good system ranks the exact article page above commentary, and offers filters like date/version.

Common questions

Q: Is intent the same as query understanding?

A: No. Query understanding interprets the text (entities, language, ambiguity). Intent is the goal inferred from that understanding.

Q: Can a query have multiple intents?

A: Yes. Some queries are ambiguous; systems often hedge by mixing result types or prompting the user to refine.

References

Manning, Raghavan & Schütze (2008), Introduction to Information Retrieval.