Web Site Searching and the User Experience
BayCHI, January 1999
Avi Rappoport, Search Tools Consulting

Search Results Page Interface

• Results Page Design

  • Include colors and layout that assure searchers they're on the same site.

  • Standard navigation elements, preferably at top and bottom or upper left

• Search Meta-Information

  • Opportunity to search again

  • Option to sort results in other ways

  • Results info

    • total found

    • number of results pages

    • current results page (context)

  • results pages navigation buttons

  • Examples

    • Builder.com - sort results

    • US Dept. of Education (Ultraseek (now Inktomi Search Software)) - includes incremental search option, limit new search to current results.

    • University of Pennsylvania (AltaVista Intranet)

  • Internet.com (PLWeb) - have to go back to search again

  • Government of Ontario (Netscape Compass) - lacks context and navigation at top

  • Developer.com (now Verity)

• Special Case: No matches on search

  • Include extra site navigation

  • Try to explain why no matches

  • Which words not matched

  • Spellcheck option

  • Search Again Field

  • Examples

    • Kennedy Space Center (ht://Dig) - reasonably helpful

    • Novell (Webinator) - tries a fuzzy search too

    • American Psychological Association (PLWeb) - example of what not to do!

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