Live search explained
Trend: Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. Apple’s Spotlight and MSN Desktop Search uses the same Live search paradigm that we’ll probably see a lot more in the year to come.
My post from yesterday has more on different examples of live search usage. Let me just explain the difference between live search and traditional search.
Traditional search: A search user interface component consists of a text field and a “search” button. User types and when finished typing, he presses “search”. Then the results are displayed. If user misspells a word or does not find any useful results, then user must correct search term in input field and press “search” button again.
Problems here involve that people often misspells words. Google registered 593 ways of spelling Britney Spears, and a study (that we mentioned earlier) showed that 3% of all searches are misspelled. (I wonder if that number has raised since 1997). Jakob Nielsen found that only 51% find what they’re looking for in the first search.
That concludes that users are likely to refine results when searching. Refining results multiple times can be tedious using traditional search.
Live search: The search user interface is identical to traditional search. But results are fetched whenever the user “hesitates” — for instance stop typing for a brief moment. An example of this is Google Suggest where the most popular results are presented as-you-type.
The user experience is very different that traditional search: Here you type, hesitate, and get results. This has some benefits:
- Relevant alternatives are presented as you type, so the best match can be picked immediately.
- Its easy to refine your search: Just continue typing
- If the search typed is too narrow its easy to press backspace and remove characters.
- In the better implementations (like Google Suggest above), the best match is highlighted in the input field. In this way, the user can press “enter” and immediately go to the content page. Traditional search involves an extra click on the results page.
Live search can be a big time saver for a user, especially considering that at 49% of all searches will be refined. Furthermore, misspellings can be corrected immediately (there is no need to wait until the results show up.
Any system designer should consider it, given the performance advantages it can give for the end user. On the downside, live search requires more processing power as multiple searches are performed every second (depending on setup of course).
Bill Scott of Yahoo has described Kayak.com (travel site) autocomplete:
Kayak.com is a good example of live auto complete. Say the user is wanting to fly into New York city. They seem to remember that the airport they want is called LaGuardia (not sure how to spell it or what the airport code is). When I type ‘New Y’ I get the following results:
Ok, this is nice. I hate remembering the airport code. And I hate having to go to another page to find out that the site could not figure out what I meant. Jakob Nielsen states as one of his ten usability principles, Error Prevention. Providing the feedback instantaneously to cue me to what the system thinks is great. Saves me time and makes me feel like I am narrowing in on the right thing. This probably ties in with Jared Spool’s research on The Confidence Game which shows that users are happy to click and click as long as they feel confident they are reaching their goal. Here I have the best of both worlds. Raise my confidence and do it with the minimal effort!
[...]
Without a question this helped me narrow to my result and did not distract me.
More good examples from his brilliant article “Distracting or Narrowing: Looking a Little More At Live Search“.
Christopher Allen wrote Google Suggest Dissected with references and links to more technical information:
This specific technique is probably not useful for all web sites — the amount of load that even a small number of users can place on a database using this technique requires a large server infrastructure, as basically every time you type a letter a database is being hit. Google can do this as they understand server farms and how to scale large loads. However, as inspiration for other ideas, I think it is marvelous.
To build on my conclusion from yesterday, Live search will definately reach broader appeal as more and more mainstream applications occur with this feature. Also — from a user perspective — Live search is unobtrusive and reveals itself without intimidating users that are not aware about it (this is what usability people call discoverability).
There are clear indications that autocomplete save time, reduces errors and form resubmissions. The missing point right now is probably some real usability data to back it up. Recently, uxmatters had a good article on traditional search forms (evaluating ebay, amazon, flickr and more). Findings are available in the article “Evaluating the Usability of Search Forms“. And this type of findings is needed to back up my assumptions with user test data.
Examples
- Windows Vista has live search is deeply integrated,
- Apple’s Spotlight user interface from OS X
- MSN Desktop Search
- Google Suggest
- Google GMail autocompletes contacts
- Kayak.com autocompletes to and from locations
Technorati Tags: user experience, usability, live search, find-as-you-type, google suggest, gmail, kayak, autocomplete, windows vista, apple spotlight, msn desktop search
February 1st, 2006 at 07:08 (UTC)
Think before you live (search)
There are a lot of implementations of “live” search these days – ever since Google Suggest showed off ways AJAX could be used to the general public, people have been putting their own non-refreshing searches into use. But is this is just a…
February 8th, 2006 at 14:06 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained (160 visitors) [...]
February 9th, 2006 at 06:36 (UTC)
[...] Jesper Rønn-Jensen provides some thoughts on Live search explained. He doesn’t provide too many conclusions, but he does offer some great questions and some nice links for futher research and reading. Live Search? The type of search that interacts with a searcher, and offers suggestions as the searcher hesitates, in the manner of a Google Suggest. [...]
February 10th, 2006 at 20:52 (UTC)
live search can be annoying sometimes, well the kind that autocompletes the text field.
February 21st, 2006 at 23:53 (UTC)
[...] Everyone involved in implementing search, whether on an external or intranet site, must read this article: As much as is possible, search should always give [users] the information they need, somewhere in the first few results… [Users] should not have to learn complex search options, or spend time carefully considering the most effective search terms and options. Regardless of what the user is searching on, the right results should be returned… There is often a confusion between powerful and complex search – the two are not the same… It quickly becomes apparent that exposing more search functionality is not the answer, as few [users] will use the extra features. [...]
March 18th, 2006 at 17:56 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
March 19th, 2006 at 06:26 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
March 19th, 2006 at 23:37 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
March 20th, 2006 at 19:57 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
March 22nd, 2006 at 09:01 (UTC)
[...] Live Search Explained [...]
April 22nd, 2006 at 15:25 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained (961 visitors) [...]
April 30th, 2006 at 16:49 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
May 16th, 2006 at 08:25 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
June 7th, 2006 at 20:12 (UTC)
The best part of Live search is the never ending scroll bars that Microsoft has implemented on the Photo search of Live.com (http://www.live.com/?q=girls&scope=images). But is it me or does everything seem to take forever to load!
samfind
http://samfind.com
June 25th, 2006 at 17:42 (UTC)
another example for a live search is on Answers.com
where you not only get help searching you get all you needed to know in 1- click isntead of many search results.
July 5th, 2006 at 23:20 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
August 14th, 2006 at 23:09 (UTC)
[...] Popular posts (just to pick a few): [...]
September 26th, 2006 at 17:31 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
October 2nd, 2006 at 16:52 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
October 7th, 2006 at 22:48 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
October 15th, 2006 at 12:07 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
October 25th, 2006 at 02:10 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
November 17th, 2006 at 23:14 (UTC)
I find that I like the autosearch feature available these days. They are compatable with varioius platforms and for a variety of uses. Pick your poision I say.
Laura
Don Lapre Lover
www.lauraglydaband.com
November 29th, 2006 at 15:39 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
January 19th, 2007 at 15:48 (UTC)
Nice site on live search. I think it is the next way forward for search. it may ot be very easy to implement on large database indexes though…just a thought. I have to your page on my ajax resource site www.ajaxshack.com Hope that ok…. :-)
February 5th, 2007 at 19:04 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained [...]
February 17th, 2007 at 06:01 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
June 11th, 2007 at 22:49 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
June 22nd, 2007 at 21:43 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
July 9th, 2007 at 17:12 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater Misc/General [...]
July 14th, 2007 at 18:07 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater Misc/General [...]
September 11th, 2007 at 15:42 (UTC)
PredictAd is live search autocomplete tool that displays keyword-based advertising. It’s seamlessly integrated into any search box and monetizes websites by displaying relevant ads as the user is typing a search query.
For more info visit our website at www.predictad.com or email me.
November 18th, 2007 at 17:30 (UTC)
[...] in January last year, I wrote about “live search” in user interfaces, with examples from Google Suggest, GMail, Apple Spotlight, Windows Vista and more. But neither of [...]
November 23rd, 2007 at 21:47 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained : at JustAddWater [...]
December 20th, 2007 at 12:23 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
December 24th, 2007 at 10:43 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
January 17th, 2008 at 01:13 (UTC)
This livesearch is one of the useless things in IE7. the results are completely unreliable, obsolete. Mozilla implemented search much better, you can choose search engines depending what are you looking for. Discrete but powerfull
January 21st, 2008 at 22:57 (UTC)
I couldn’t agree more with you Monica. First of all, IE7 is extremely deficient product. As a web designer if work twice as hard to accomplish that webpage looks the same in Mozilla and IE7. And then, there is that live search thing. Obsolete results, invalid link, lots of bugs…
February 1st, 2008 at 23:13 (UTC)
i love live search , but I don’t love live image search.
February 7th, 2008 at 06:18 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
February 28th, 2008 at 10:46 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
March 13th, 2008 at 17:38 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Feb 10, 06 Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. Apple’s Spotlight and MSN Desktop Search uses the same Live search paradigm that we’ll probably see a lot more in the year to come. [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 18:49 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
December 31st, 2008 at 19:30 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
February 13th, 2009 at 00:24 (UTC)
I don’t see why it isn’t already more widely used in Google and Yahoo. Spotlight the internet! I bet they are scheming right now to livesearch the internet. It would improve my experience A LOT. But maybe it takes too much bandwidth?? I bet that’s what it is.
-Devin Thayer
Entaprise Entertainment
March 12th, 2009 at 17:42 (UTC)
[...] Live search explained Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. [...]
April 17th, 2009 at 13:25 (UTC)
Live search explained…
Live search will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. As mainstream programs such as Windows Vista matures up to release, and live search is deeply integrated, we can expect more web pages implementing live search. Apple’s Spotli…
May 14th, 2009 at 03:09 (UTC)
[...] Live Search Explained – This tutorial will tackle everything about Live Search, which will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. [...]
May 14th, 2009 at 13:02 (UTC)
[...] Live Search Explained – This tutorial will tackle everything about Live Search, which will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. [...]
May 15th, 2009 at 05:44 (UTC)
[...] Live Search Explained - This tutorial will tackle everything about Live Search, which will gradually replace traditional search in web applications. [...]
June 30th, 2009 at 03:36 (UTC)
[...] Live Search Explained from JustAddWater.dk [...]
October 21st, 2009 at 05:21 (UTC)
[...] Live Search Explained from JustAddWater.dk [...]