Task-oriented query-completion suggestions with shortcuts

A method performed by a computing device having at least one processor, for providing query-completion suggestions associated with task-oriented user actions, the method comprising:

• mining query logs to identify a plurality of task-oriented user actions;
• identifying a plurality of character sequences, each representing a shortcut to at least one query-completion suggestion that is associated with one of the plurality of task-oriented user actions;
• and
• mapping each of the plurality of character sequences to one of the at least one query-completion suggestions that is associated with the one of the plurality of task-oriented user actions represented thereby such that upon receipt of one of the plurality of character sequences as at least a portion of a search query, the respective at least one query-completion suggestion is provided as a suggestion to complete the received search query portion.

A system for providing task-oriented query-completion suggestions, the system comprising:

• a computing device associated with a search engine having one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media;
• and
• a data store coupled with the search engine,
• wherein the search engine:
• receives at least a portion of a search query in association with a query-input region of a screen display;
• mining query log data to determine the received search query portion is suggestive of a task-oriented user intent;
• and
• provides at least one query-completion suggestion that is associated with the suggested task-oriented user intent in association with the query-input region.