The design technique of faceted bread crumbs: Design faceted Search Interface technique

Article Description: the faceted breadcrumbs, in my opinion, are the most intuitive key controls in the next Generation lookup interface, which fully integrates the faceted search and browsing functions. I hope this article can help you to design a faceted search interface, but also hope that you help promote the faceted bread crumbs design, help us to the flexible integration of the search into practice.

Translator Note: The key to search is to make it easier for users to find the information needed, I found that the article carefully for the user to create a flexible solution, the interactive form is not rigidly adhere to the inherent design principles, more from the actual situation, to create a more appropriate interactive control. This article is shared with you, if you find any errors, please feel free to give correction.

Original address: Faceted-finding-with-super-powered-breadcrumbs

Today's lookup interface does not support integrated search effectively, and users ' attention is often confused by a number of different search results and browsing interfaces. In this article, I recommend the use of integrated faceted (multidimensional attributes of things) breadcrumbs (IFB) design, through the power of integrated faceted, more detailed to provide viewers with intuitive query expansion. Although other crumbs based lookup interfaces still exist, they have failed to achieve the desired results by ignoring best practices. The best way to get crumbs is to find controls on the side that occupy the least space and are more powerful.

In contrast, breadcrumbs are the superhero of the IFB design, dealing with many of the lookup interfaces that are plagued by usability problems. To prove this, I tried my best to test my hypothesis. 12 of evaluators have found that IFB is easier to use, more intuitive and more flexible to solve complex search tasks, which is a traditional search interface is difficult to do.

The challenge of integrated search

At Petermorville's recent Uie webinar, he praised the benefits of a comprehensive lookup: "browsing and searching in tandem ..." The lookup interface is a good balance, allowing users to move freely through browsing and searching. Unfortunately, many websites today do not have an effective integrated faceted lookup and browsing. For example, Walmart.com browsing and searching uses two different interfaces to create a stack of repetitive controls that overwhelm users and make the site more difficult to use.

The clutter mechanism of search and faceted lookup on Walmart.com

Walmart. COM rich in filtering, linking, and options, so that users successfully repeat search or effective discovery related topics and content are very difficult. The method of duplicate lookup also creates a problem with a natural search, because each lookup page is limited to a specific conversation. The 8th chapter of Marti Hearst's "Search user Interface" says: "The first design goal of faceted lookup is to achieve" flexible navigation, seamless and comprehensive use of directional (keyword) search browsing, refining and expansion of alternating flow, to avoid empty results, the entire process so that users feel controllable and understand.

Design of faceted bread crumbs Integration (IFB)

In order to meet the challenge of search and browsing integration, I have proposed an integrated approach to the design of the bread crumbs (IFB). It is recommended that the walmart.com of the user interface be redesigned using the integrated faceted bread crumbs.

Walmart.com using integrated faceted bread crumbs (IFB) to design the interface of the line diagram

Bread crumbs Simple, intuitive, flexible, strong adaptability. As Jacob Nielsen stated in her 2007-year Alertbox, breadcrumbs are increasingly useful: "as opposed to a higher level of concept, breadcrumbs show the user's current position and help users understand the position relationship with other pages." The breadcrumbs support one-click access to the top level of the directory, thereby freeing those who reach the destinations via search or depth links. Crumbs in the user test has never been a problem, the user will not misunderstand the crumbs, there will be no operational problems.

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