Team building can be traced back to the late 1920s when researchers conducted studies and observed worker productivity in a mid-West industrial facility outside Chicago called Hawthorne Works. Behaviorists studied groups of industrial workers in various conditions and determined that the most compelling evidence was observed in the building of a sense of group identity, a feeling of social support and cohesion that came with increased worker interaction. The study also demonstrated that workers had a tendency to perform at higher productivity at work-related tasks, most notably after performing non-work-related tasks.  Shortly thereafter, the onset of company sponsored team building activities was born.

This berth aligns with federal initiatives like the National Service Bill signed by President Obama that calls upon Americans to volunteer in their communities. This initiative, created to bolster the efforts of AmeriCorps, is supported by $5.7 billion dollars, enough to triple the size of AmeriCorps’ service programs over the next eight years and includes new solutions for students trying to earning money for college.

In line with support from the aforementioned empirical evidence and initiatives by the new administration, many sites like idealist.org (which boasts nearly 16 thousand opportunities for individual and team volunteerism) and justgive.org (inspires users to make donations in the names of friends and family in lieu of standard gifts)to worthy causes) have realized increased membership and participation.

In the same vein that “going green” supports our global environment and is a sustainable solution for woes stemming from the economic downturn—so too are team building activities, designed around volunteer activities. Clearly, businesses are more likely to engage in activities that not only support the community, but also have cost-saving implications. Gaming activities like paint-ball for office team-building days have much higher cost implications than volunteering, and add no value to the world at large.

In keeping with our mission to provide value added and sustainable e-commerce solutions, Fluid recently engaged in an office-wide service event to add value (social commerce, in a sense) to our local community.

The outing included a donation drive for the underprivileged and under served members of the greater San Francisco community, in addition to participating in the kitchen dinner service for Glide, a radically inclusive organization dedicated to the betterment of SF through daily food services, health care, substance abuse rehabilitation, services for battered women and children, and GLBT advocacy since the 1960s. Fluid served 700+ diners that evening, and left the facility with a sense of pride, humility and mindfulness that couldn’t have been achieved by playing rounds of mini-golf, and brought the spirit of working together back to the office environment. While the measure of value that the outing has benefitted our working environment is difficult to quantify, the example below clearly demonstrates it.

Smiles all around: Pearly whites came to serve dinner

1. Incorrect Spelling in data entry for search:  If I’m searching for something that is difficult to spell, or if I type too quickly into the search field, will my search be a success?

2.”Did you mean?“:If I do misspell the product I’m searching for, does the site ask if I meant something that is currently available? Does it go a step further by suggesting products without even asking the question? Does the site best use the space available by suggesting products/providing alternatives despite my ability to accurately enter data?

3. Specific color searches:If I decide I’d like to dress as Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,”can I search for “Ruby Slippers”? Can I save time searching for something I need to purchase that must be a specific color?

4. Type-ahead: If I am looking to purchase a flat-screen television, I might be also inclined to purchase a swivel wall mount or other companion products. Does the site enable my consumerism and anticipate my needs? When I type one item I’d like to purchase, does it suggest items that I don’t yet know I want?

5.”You might also like“: This feature is usually observed farther along in the user experience, and can usually lives within the product detail page. Is there additional value in adding this feature one step earlier, by implementing its use within the search result page?

6. Product # search: If I know the specific product ID# or SKU, can I enter that number and find the tomato planter of my dreams?

Some hits on the list:

Amazon.com: While I was hoping that a lesser known site would take top honors, the fact remains that Amazon continues to dominate in best practice. According to my rubric, the internet retail giant has the perfect search box with all the ideal functionality. Scoring 21 out 21 points, Amazon clearly understands the value of white space, and what they can implement and suggestively sell in many scenarios. With such a commitment to best practices, it’s no surprise that they are the largest online retailer, with nearly three times the sales revenue of the next runner up.

SkyMall, Lands’ End, JTVWatches and eBags are also in good company, scoring 19 out of 21 points.

Some misses:

As sound as the top sites chosen by IR might be, for the purposes of this study, I found some sites that could use some enhancements.

Vista Print and Sam Ash Music: These sites have NO search boxes on the homepage or otherwise. Sites like Vans are in queue for enhancements with search boxes buried 1-2 pages into the sites, but not having any kind of search capability on site seems like a poor choice.  Sites like Timbuk2.com and designbyhumans.com score points for having a  search powered by Google built into their site but lose points because employing the Google search definitely takes away from the brand experience.

Scentiments.com could also benefit from some enhancement. When a user spells something incorrectly, nothing appears. Aside the top navigation, the page is totally blank. A better use of space could be made to  integrate marketing, suggestively sell alternate products,  engage users into a collaborative shopping application or otherwise.

Sites scoring high in best practices for search boxes seem to employ the kitchen sink methodology. Site search boxes with the most functionality seem to take any opportunity to persuade or drive the user in one direction or another, most notably in the direction that leads to conversion of the highest value products, and guides the user to purchasing component products either at the point-of sale or for future sales.

Unlike visual campaigns, e-mail marketing, etc., search boxes innocuously suggest without a visual footprint, which may be one of the best methods for driving sales without brand overkill or visual over stimulation, with the consumer none the wiser.

Data for search box functionality:

IR Hot 100 Retailer Site	Score (out of 21)
Amazon.com	21
eBags	19
JTVWatches.com	19
Lands’ End	19
SkyMall	19
Orvis	18
Staples	18
Avon	17
Cusp	17
Faucet.com	17
Journeys.com	17
Karmaloop.com	17
Meijer	17
MoMA Store	17
Muttropolis	17
Nine West	17
Walgreens	17
Walmart	17
WetSeal	17
Buy.com	16
Cable Organizer.com	16
Eddie Bauer	16
Gap	16
Martin+Osa	16
Organize.com	16
Roxy	16
Skis.com	16
Sunglass Hut	16
Sweetwater.com	16
Tool King	16
American Eagle Outfitters	15
Design By Humans	15
Drs. Foster and Smith	15
ThinkGeek.com	15
The North Face	15
Vans	15
BagBorroworSteal	14
Bluefly	14
Scholastic	14
Zappos	14
Best Buy	13
QVC	13
shoeline.com	13
Anthropologie	12
CVS Stores	12
Gaiam	12
Gardeners.com	12
iGourmet.com	12
Max Furniture	12
MusicNotes.com	12
Smith &Noble	12
StilaCosmetics.com	12
Ulta	12
Athleta	11
Borders	11
FragranceNet.com	11
Novica	11
Estee Lauder	10
iTunes	10
Organic Style	10
American Apparel	9
Crutchfiled	9
CSN Stores	9
Garmin	9
Fathead.com	8
Levi’s	8
Popcuts	8
Chapter.indigo.ca	7
Gander Mountain	7
Godiva.com	7
Overstock	7
RunningWarehouse.com	7
UnderArmour	7
Action Envelope	6
Delight.com	6
EyeBuyDirect	6
Rusty Zipper	6
Timbuk2 Bags	6
Beckett Media	5
Expressionery.com	5
FatBrain Toys	5
Scentiments	5
Undergear.com	5
Lion Brand Yarn	3
Blockbuster	0
BlueNile	0
Dunkin Donuts	0
ElderLuxe.com	0
Godspeed.com	0
King ArthurFlour.com	0
LandofNod.com	0
Mymms.com	0
NASCAR	0
NikeID	0
Pets United	0
Ritz Interactive	0
Sam Ash Music	0
Vista Print	0
Zazzle.com	0