Together we design what works.
Filters with numeric values remain among the most confusing in faceted search, because many sites have not been able to design usable numeric filters that people can use in an intuitive manner. In this column I cover how to show discrete numeric values, avoid overly constrained filter states, and display key inventory information, and introduce a novel pattern of histogram sliders.
The idea behind the More Like This pattern is very simple: within each group of items representing a particular category from a catalog or accompanying each item in search results, provide a prominent link or button with a label that is some variation of More Like This ». Unfortunately, most sites do not make sufficient use of this pattern and some that do use it design and implement it incorrectly.
Our language is limited and imperfect. When a customer constructs a query that may have more than one meaning, a good search user interface provides tools to help the customer define the query in less ambiguous terms, so the search results more closely match the person’s intention. This process is known as disambiguation.
In Part 2 of Ads Best Practices, we’ll discuss: understanding what makes a good ad, limiting cannibalization, providing ads for internal merchandise instead of third-party advertising, and ads on pages that appear if there are no search results.
Conflicting demands make many UX professionals think of ads as a necessary evil. Customers frequently go out of their way to say they hate ads, while marketers always seem to try their hardest to stuff as many of them as they can on each search results page on your site. In this column, I’ve teamed up with advertisement and eyetracking research guru Frank Guo to present real-world strategies for successfully integrating ads into your search results.
Office Depot multiple-select attribute-based faceted search redesign misses some key points, making their new search user interface less usable and, therefore, less effective. This makes it an excellent case study for demonstrating best practices for designing filters for faceted search results.
Today, everywhere we look, it seems like image content is taking over the Web. The ubiquitous use of digital cameras and improvements in the picture quality of mobile phone cameras has likely helped this phenomenon along. The shift toward content that is primarily visual introduces new challenges and opportunities for developing intuitive and powerful user interfaces for browsing, searching, and filtering visual content.
For most users of consumer-facing ecommerce applications, the difference between a sort and a filter presents a mystery they understand dimly, if at all. The distinction between sorting and filtering blurs, because of a phenomenon I’ve called filtering by sorting, which leads to all sorts of interesting search user interface implications.
When designing the data and layout for search results pages, the challenge is finding the right balance between providing enough information in individual search results, so customers can make informed decisions without pogosticking, and providing enough relevant search results on each page of results to warrant further exploration of the site.
In search results, the old adage a picture is worth a thousand words rings true. When it comes to making your search results more efficient to use, more relevant, and more attractive, while dramatically increasing your conversion rates and revenues, images reign supreme. This column discusses how to avoid common pitfalls, and get the most out of your thumbnails.
“One of top 3 books on search” “One-stop shop for great search” “Tons of ideas…super-useful” “Utterly fantastic! Buy it!.”
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Mobile requires a new level of sophistication, discipline and minimalist thinking. With years of experience designing mobile and tablet experiences for top firms like eBay, Wells Fargo, WebEx and IBM comes expertise. Knowing when to follow design patterns. When to break them. And when to invent new approaches that redefine the industry.
If you are designing for mobile or web, you can't afford to ignore search. Search is more than mere technology. It is an experience. A moment of flow, of meaning. A quiet conversation with your customer. That is why Greg wrote Designing Search: UX Strategies for eCommerce Success. We help you get the search UX right. And keep your customers talking.
User experience design means anticipating key details. So your customers don't have to. A superior level of service, that makes doing business with your company a delight. My 80/20 light-weight rapid design, prototyping and testing process ensures very doable, step-wise improvements and 10-20X ROI. Stay on top of your User Experience. Without spending a fortune.
