Lead: Shani Laendler (Unlicensed)
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Description
Live search (aka "active search ", “incremental search” or “search-as-you-type”) is a search type in which of Search where each character that the user enters or deletes runs the search query. This type of search is usually suitable for small-medium databases.
Live search is also known as Active search, Incremental search or Search-as-you-type.
Usage and
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Behavior
General Guidelines
Internal Logic
Search logic
2 search approaches may be applied (should be considered according to the specific need):
“Type-ahead”: all results will start with the typed string. For example:
“Contains”: the search string may appear within a result.
Select the appropriate approach according to:
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The list content and design: does it include complex items (e.g. agents names?)? does it have a complex design (e.g. a combination of numbers and strings)?
The more complex the list is, and the less knowledge the user have, tend to choose the “contain” approach to provide more flexibility to the user.
Results Presentation
The searched string will be highlighted in bold within the textlist of results.
The results are displayed in the results list area according to the existing sort method.
In case Where the items list area is arranged in an a hierarchical view tree:
the search results
will also be presented in
the same hierarchical view
.
the user will be able to search on all hierarchies, unless otherwise specified.
If the results are presented in a hierarchical view, all sections will be auto-expanded to show the searched items.
Example of a hierarchical view in the
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results list:
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Where needed (and possible), consider presenting the number of results in a prominent area. Try adding that in any case when possible:
, particularly for larger or more complex results lists.
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Results Loading Time
The system should mitigate long loading times.
Less than 0.1 secondseconds: no loader is needed.
0.1 - 5 second:
Option 1: loading spinnerseconds: use a circular Progress Indicator with the text
"Searching <Categories>...
"
Option 2: loader within the field and list area with/out a placeholder for the results (consider Asaf’s use cases where there are several loading areas in the results area, see google example. consider also very long search fields where the load sign may be to far and unnoticeable)
More than 5 seconds: this loading time is too long for “Live Search”. Use Manual Search Live Search → use Search with Auto-Suggest instead.
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(Optional)
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When focusing on an empty search field, a list of suggestions may be displayed to aid the user conduct a quick search.
List definitions:
The list will include up to 8 items
The list will include recent searches and/or popular/trending searches.
Recent item are items that the specific user searched for in the past. They will be presented only after conducting at list one search and will include the most recent searches only.
Popular items are items that are being searched by many users in many occasions
Trending item are items that are being searched by many users in many occasions, on a recent defined time frame.
The number of recent and popular/trending items should be equal. If there’s not enough data to provide an equal amount of both types the list may be divided unequally.
Recent items will be placed above popular/trending items
Each item will be accompanied with an icon, indicating the type of suggestion (recent or popular)
Use the suggestion list only if the user is expected to search for previously searched queries or popular/trending queries.
Search with Spaces
Spaces are included in the search string. For example, when searching “repeated c” the result “repeated calls” may be found.
When searching on lists of names (e.g. employees, agents), the space may be addressed as a separator between 2 distinct searches. For example, when searching “sh kl” the employee “shiri Klein” may be found.
Delay trigger of initial search until at least 3 characters have been entered to improve performance.
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Interaction
Step | Visual Example | Description |
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Initial state |
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Hover over the search field
Boarder colour changes
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Click on the |
Suggestions:  |
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Hint text presented
Text mark is flickering
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Enter first letter |
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Enter next |
letters |
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Click on item in the list
Focus is moved away from the search field
Clear all
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Clear all |  |
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Validations and errors
There are no validations on the search string.
No results found
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The results area will clearly state that no results were found.
The text will say "no No <items> were found" (e.g. no . For example No categories were found, no or No employees were found).
Best Practice
Automatic focus: use auto-focus on the search field to aid the user in conducting a fast search (and reduce clicks). Make sure to use it under these conditions:
The list is the only/main component presented in the area or section (e.g. in a filter panel or in a modal window)
The list is presented upon request (e.g. click to open filter panel, click to open modal window)
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Display results in an hierarchical tree view vs. simple list: the results may be presented in both list types. Answer these questions to select the most appropriate type:
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Is the search expected to produce a single or multiple results? (if single than list is probably good enough)
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May several results have a similar name? (if yes, tend to choose a tree view)
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What will help to differentiate between items with similar name? (will it be the root?)
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In case the results are presented in tree view, all roots will be auto-expanded to present the searched item.
Use when:
- The
the database is small-medium
andsize.
the results can be filtered immediately
(, with no need to retrieve the data from the
back-end)The results areabackend.
the results list is located below and near the search field.
Don’t use when
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the query is applied
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to a complex or
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large database that will cause a long loading time
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→ use
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Search
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with Auto-Suggest (coming soon).
Future Version (TBD)
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Search on a simple list with multi-select
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General
In case the list is the main component presented in the area or section of the interface (e.g. in a filter panel or in a modal window), the focus will be set to the search field automatically to aid the user in conducting a fast search.
Accessibility compliance
Unless otherwise specified, see our general compliance information in Fundamentals - Accessibility.
Design
See Search
Code
See Search