Session Context
Part of the Query Understanding series by Daniel Tunkelang.
Overview
A user’s current query rarely exists in isolation — it typically follows other queries in the same session, and those prior queries reveal a great deal about what the user is actually trying to accomplish. Session context uses this history to resolve ambiguity and anticipate needs. A sequence of queries that progressively narrows in on a topic tells the system something different than a sudden shift in direction. Applying session context well requires knowing when earlier queries are still relevant and when the user has genuinely moved on to a new intent. It also introduces privacy considerations, since session data is necessarily tied to individual user behavior, and latency considerations, since incorporating session state adds overhead to each query.
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