When we worked on redesigning the mobile and tablet app for America’s Test Kitchen, we spent significant time fine-tuning the designs for the app’s search feature. Since ATK and its associated brands boast thousands of recipes, reviews, and videos, it was essential that the search feature was optimized to help users quickly find what they need. We did this by employing the use of predictive search or autocomplete in the search bar and providing users with a wealth of options for filtering – including by course, type of cuisine, type of dish, and recipe type for dietary restrictions and other common meal scenarios.
Predictive search, or autocomplete, is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance the user experience in a content-rich application like ATK’s. By offering users real-time suggestions based on their input, predictive search reduces the time and effort required to find desired content. This intelligent feature is particularly useful in an extensive content library such as ATK’s, where users might be unsure of the exact search terms or phrases to use.
Moreover, we paid close attention to the user interface (UI) design of the predictive search feature. It was essential to present the suggestions in an easy-to-read and visually appealing manner that wouldn’t be overwhelming or confusing for users. We accomplished this by using clean typography, subtle animations, and appropriate spacing to display the autocomplete suggestions in a way that was both attractive and functional.
