Most sites allow you to search for some text, and then click on Facets (or Tags or Taxonomy branches) to drill down into your search.
Most sites also show the search box in these search results, with the text previously entered, so that you can edit it and resubmit. Perhaps you want to add a word or change the spelling of a search term, etc. But what should happen to your previously selected Facets (or Tags, etc) ? Before you answer.... 1: It seems like even "the big guys" don't agree. Some large web sites clear all previous tags when text is resubmitted, other sites keep these other selections in place to filter the revised search. So it doesn't seem like there's universal agreement. 2: Let's assume that I do NOT want to put a "start new search" button or checkbox in the search form. The goal is to find the most reasonable DEFAULT behavior, and possibly not display those options. Examples: behavior A vs. B Both start the same: 0: Assume a real-estate site. 1: I type in "furnished apartment", and get 2,000 matches. 2: Then I notice the "City" facet and click "Sunnyvale". Now I have just 50 furnished apartments, in Sunnyvale 3: Then I edit my search text to add the word "garage", so the now the text box is "furnished apartment garage", and submit the search. Scenario A: The engine brings back furnished apartments with a garage, in Sunnyvale, and I get only 10 results. Scenario B: The engine brings back furnished apartments with a garage all over the Bay Area, and I get 800 matches. To limit the search to Sunnyvale, I must again click the City facet and select it. There are strengths and weaknesses to both scenarios, but I don't wanna bias anybody's answer. I'd love to hear your thoughts! -- Mark Bennett / New Idea Engineering, Inc. / mbenn...@ideaeng.com Direct: 408-733-0387 / Main: 866-IDEA-ENG / Cell: 408-829-6513
