Understanding Search Application - Page Types and Design Elements

A search application allows users to search for information contained in the site or in a database that is connected to the site. Users search by entering some information and the system retrieves search results or a record on file. A search application must clearly convey to users what information to enter in order to get the results or record they are looking for.

Page types and design elements

When building a search application, include the following page types and design elements:

• Search pages
• Results pages
• Design elements for both page types

Search page

A search page has some unique design elements:

• Entry field(s)
• Submit button

Entry field(s)

The search page needs at least one entry field. The entry field asks users to enter information. Entry fields need to clearly communicate to users what type of information to enter and how to format the information. Include the following:

• An instructional header that clearly explains what users should enter into the field.
• Format the entry field with a gray outline so the text box stands out from the surrounding page.
• Label the entry field ‘Not case sensitive’ (and make sure to accept entries in upper, lower or mixed case).



Submit button

Include a submit button. Follow these guidelines when displaying buttons:

• To ensure a button appears clickable to users, the mouse should change from a pointer to a hand when users hover over a button.
• Make the primary action clear to the user by making it a button.
• Use a drop shadow to outline the button so it looks clickable.
• Once users click the button, disable it while it is processing. Disabling the button signals to users to wait for the computer to process the action.


Results page

A results page has some unique design elements:

• Results
• Print functionality

Results

Ensure that the search provides users with accurate, precise results. Format the results so that users can understand them and quickly find what they need. For example, if there is a lot of data, you may need to use a table to format the results.

Organize search results according to the information users are seeking. For example, if users are looking at records for expired medicines, then order them by expiration date.

Make the results page an appropriate length for users. Generally, if there are 25 records or less, eliminate paging. If there are more than 25 records, display multiple pages and provide a paging mechanism so users can navigate the pages quickly, allowing users to go out of sequence (jump from page 1 to page 5 for example).

Print functionality

Users often want to print results for their records. Offer users a way to print, such as providing a ‘Print these results’ button and format the page so that it’s printer-friendly.

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