Despite the patterns mapped out here, these only represent a little piece of the many combinations you'll happen upon. My intention here is to show that these (and other) patterns do exist, and it's up to us to make sense of how we use them.
Many times, it's easy to follow established patterns, but more difficult to ensure they match a particular set of user needs. By encouraging clients to think about the specific purpose of search, we can create interfaces that communicate their purpose even before the interaction.
Perhaps these interfaces will change each time we design a page. In fact, I hope they will. As we explore situations that call for new solutions, hopefully we can leverage some of the standards already out there. |
