I've been collecting and thinking about filters, and also watching people (try to) use sites with various filtering schemes.
It seems to me that there's a limit to what you can do with a set of filters such that the filters are 1) noticed, 2) clear and 3) not overwhelming. The problem is that the larger the data set you're trying to help a user parse, the more tempting filters are, and paradoxically the more overwhelming/less-usable they become. Smaller filter sets like hotels.com seem to be ok, but they work less well for larger data sets. Sites start to "hack" them into being usable, introducing AJaX/wizard mashups (Cars.com is trying one now, but I've seen this in several places, a callout that points out the filters and tells the user where to start), but keeping with the old adage that help should always be available but never necessary, I'm unsatisfied with the solution. I'm wondering if folks think: - that filters break down at a certain point - if so, whether we can make a generalization about where that is for most users - ...whether there's a better tool beyond that point - ...if we need to invent something new here - if not, why I'm seeing so many people struggle with what now seems like a fairly standard practice Or other thoughts about this? Watching users come across what I thought were logical and perfectly clear filtering solutions and then close the page in a panic as being "too complicated" reminded me (again) of why we do usability, but I begin to despair... ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
