Search vs. Browse

Navigation November 14, 2007

For sites that display products or items that people might be looking for, it's important to allow for both searching and browsing.

Think of when you go to a store. Depending on your current rush, you may need to find something quickly or you might have more time to browse around. The search bar is your "quick ask" tool (without the hassle of trying to find someone in the store to ask!). Meanwhile, browsing allows you to saunter through the aisles until you find the product you're looking for.

Don't assume people will always have time to browse. Especially on the iPhone, Internet is "on the go" - no one wants to browse. People want to find stuff quickly. So searching on a product-based web app is essential.

Too many sites out there don't allow for quick searching - or have too complicated a browsing system. As Thoreau says, "simplify, simplify, simplify."

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