Best Methodology for Search Usability Testing?

Hi,

I'm interested in conducting a usability test for a new search strategy. We're trying to incorporate some of the newer type-ahead and pre-catergorization technologies you see in google toolbar or ask.com.  I have a talk-aloud and screen record method that I've used for most usability test, but I'm not sure this is the best way for testing something like search.

Nielsen maintains that you must observe "how people search" to get accurate findings, but I'm worried about creating an artificial, experimenter-biased situation.

It's hard to say "Search for anything" or "Do what you would normally do" because the user isn't in a normal situation if in a test environment

Any thoughts?

Doug
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