One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates intelligent query operations by using a collaborative search procedure which employs tribal knowledge from a group of like-minded individuals. During operation, the system receives a search query from the user. The system then processes the query using the tribal knowledge obtained from like-minded individuals to produce a results list for the user. For example, this tribal knowledge can include the browsing habits of the collection of users as represented by their selection of websites and the session times for these website views, as well as any reviews posted by these users for the websites they browse.