Hybrid search battlecards
Use concise arguments for when hybrid retrieval is stronger than embeddings-only or keywords-only search.
Embeddings-only objection Why keep keywords if embeddings understand meaning? A stakeholder wants to remove lexical search from the roadmap. Your line Embeddings help with paraphrases. Keywords protect exact IDs, product names, legal phrases, and artifact titles. Using semantic similarity for exact identifiers can return related text while missing the requested object. It names the distinct job each signal performs. Keywords-only objection Why add embeddings if keyword search already finds exact matches? A team with strong existing search questions the value of semantic retrieval. Keywords are strong when wording matches. Embeddings help when users describe the same need in different language.…
Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.
Already have an account? Sign in