Projects/Usability/HIG/SearchPattern

 

Under Construction
This is a new page, currently under construction!

Ref's:

• http://www.userfocus.co.uk/resources/searchchecklist.html
• http://www.smileycat.com/miaow/archives/002015.php

Purpose

A search function allows to generate a subset out of a big number of items on ground of a user defined pattern. The function is essential to find matching items in case of a extended list or if the position of target(s) is unknown, as well as when bulk operations should be executed.

More text....

Guidelines

• Make the search result persistent. Users must not need to research after selecting or referencing an item.
• Consider to allow iterative search on result lists.
• Do not inherit artificial intelligence from users. Search operations have always be clear and comprehensible to users.
• Follow the guidelines on delayed operations if the search takes longer.
• Provide paging/scrolling of results.
• Provide auto complete feature to the input based on previous operations.
• Start the search process via button or when the user pressed enter.
• Show the search pattern at the header of the result list (e.g. "Search results for: <Hello World>")
• Show hints on how to use the search effectively.
• Do case insensitive search, unless its important.
• Make the search box large enough to show at least 20 characters (at the moment: KRunner & Kicker = 24, Konqueror = 54, KCM = 33, cf. ).
• Run a combined AND search when two words have been entered unless the term is quoted (e.g. Hello World vs "Hello World")

Appearance

• Search input consists of an icon, a line input to enter the search pattern, and a button to start the search. (VDG could make a proposal how it looks nice)
• Placement
  • Start search at the upper right area of your dialog (KCM and web style).
  • Start search at the lower left area of your dialog (Kicker and Konqueror style).
  • Show search centered in the upper area of your dialog (Dolphin and KRunner style).
• To show or not to show:
  • Always show search input. Do not hide the availability from users.
  • Show input control only when users start the search.
  • Hide the control in case the search is not the primary function of the app, but show a small button which indicates clearly the availability of the function.
• How to present results (Depends on use case?)
  • Highlight search results (KCM mode).
  • Hide non-matching results (Kicker mode).
  • Generate a new list that matches the search pattern (KRunner mode).