Proof of Usefulness Report

Clifton College

Analysis completed on 2/26/2026

+73
Proof of Usefulness Score
You're In Business

Clifton College's AI Search is a verified, live implementation of RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) technology that successfully modernizes institutional knowledge retrieval. While the audience size is naturally capped by the school's community (~20k), the project demonstrates high real-world utility by effectively indexing complex PDF and CMS content for parents and staff. The execution involves a modern composable stack (Algolia, Storyblok, OpenAI) and serves as a strong case study for AI in the education sector.

Ready to Compete for $150k+ in Prizes?

Move this data into a HackerNoon blog draft to become eligible for your share of $150k+ in cash and software prizes

View All Reports

Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+25.5
Audience Reach Impact+4.0
Technical Innovation+9.75
Evidence Of Traction+12.5
Market Timing Relevance+8.5
Functional Completeness+4.5
Subtotal+64.75
Usefulness Multiplierx1.12
Final Score+73

Project Details

Project URL
cliftoncollege.com/
Description
Clifton College’s AI Search transforms a traditional school website into a conversational knowledge layer. Content from Storyblok (including PDFs) is automatically indexed in Algolia, allowing users to search naturally, from simple keywords to full questions, and receive grounded, source-linked AI summaries. Results are generated strictly from verified site content with guardrails to prevent hallucination and misuse.
Audience Reach
The Clifton College website serves approximately 20,000 monthly active users, including prospective families, current parents, students and staff. Since launch, approximately 5% of MAU (~1,000 users per month) actively use AI Search - a feature that did not previously exist on the site. These are typically high-intent users seeking specific operational or admissions-related information. Traffic is a mix of public website visitors and authenticated community users, with recurring seasonal spikes during admissions cycles and term transitions.
Target Users
This system supports three key groups: 1. Prospective families- Parents exploring fit, ethos, extra-curriculars, open days, boarding options, and academic life. 2. Current families & students- Quick answers to operational questions (term dates, menus, events, policies). 3. Staff & administrators - Rapid retrieval of policy documents and institutional information across large PDF archives. Clifton College is a leading independent school in the UK, and the system supports its full school community.
Technologies
Algolia, Storyblok, OpenAi, NextJS
Traction Evidence
Since launch in August 2025, the AI Search has been live within the main Clifton College website which is used by approximately 20,000 monthly active users. While the feature itself is embedded within the broader website (rather than a standalone product with public metrics), engagement data shows: - Repeated usage from returning parents and staff - High interaction rates during admissions periods - Sustained usage beyond novelty adoption As a school-community feature, success is measured through usage depth and task completion rather than public social or press metrics.

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Growing utility with room for optimization
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline