This question is a but open ended, but i'll begin to answer it anyway.
Get back to me if you need more info. I'm a programmer and have just
made a web search engine. I'm going to assume you're trying to create
something like google.
The first princaple is to ensure that the search box (the text input
area for your search is the subject of the screen. the usually means
central, and about two thirds of the way up. if you imagine the screen
as somebody's face, you place it where the eyes are - that's where the
user will be drawn. around this you may of may not choose to add some
of the following.
a tip: a label such as 'search', 'enter search request' or 'search
here'. this should go to the left of the search box. it should be
simple (so probably just text), but slightly more eye catching then
other 'standard' text on the screen - try making it bold.
a 'begin search button': this normaly goes to the right of the search
box. some people say it should go underneath, but if you stick it to
the right people will expect its action to be automatic if <return> is
pressed - which it should be. don't make it too tall, it should appear
to sit on the same line.
a header: obviously, this this should be at the head of the screen.
try not to make it wider than the search box - the user will see this
as suggesting the site/application is more important than its ability
to search.
other text: this might be links, a mission statement, explanation of
search operators or anything else you need to included. don't make
this eye catching. this doesn't mean make it small, or gray (except
perhaps for the footer) - just regular.
a search engine must reflect its content. if it searched a wide range
of content, then it should reflect nothing at all. Do this with the
use of black on white, and by using sans serif fonts (like arial).
input boxes, however, generally reverse this font rule - serif fonts
used here make the engine look easy to use - - like a type writer.
if you feel you need to draw the user's eye doward the search box, use
a higlight colour *near* it - but never on it. a colour other than
white makes an input box seem deactivated. try a border, or underling.
if the page is of simple design, use a cool colour (like blue or
green). if the page has a lot of information, try a bold yellow or
gentle orange (don't get too close to red).
blank space can seem poorly designed while you're putting the screen
together, but don't worry - it usually helps the final product. ovoid
pictures of any kind. this does not mean you won't add a gif/bmp/jpg,
but reserve these for text that is more easily pre-rendered (such as
the title).
next you have to think about the functionality of the search program.
if you haven't placed anything below the input box, maybe the search
results should go there. you should be able to see around 5 results on
the screen without scrolling. if you can't do this, then you will need
a new screen for them. the results screen will probably also allow
further searches. the search section here should be at the top, but
there might *also* be one at the bottom. it's less important now, so
make the search box a little shorter and align it to the left. there
probably won't be room at the top for your title now, you might want
to place a smaller version just to the side of you rsearch box
(probably iether just to the left, to the far right, of small and near
the lower right corner of it).
the content of your search results depends greatly on the type of
things you are searching, but they should generally appear in one of
two formats:
1) informal: a small paragraph. this is usually made up of bold title,
regular blurb, perhaps one or two options relating to the search,
white space. the options might be something like 'open in a new
window', they might also go to the right of the result's title.
2) formal: a table - results listed, with properties in seperate
columns. use this when you have lots of information about a particular
result and each result are similar in format, or when you have a real
time searcg (one the continues to spew out results after the search
screen is reached). users of see this as over technical, but it can be
necessary sometime. programs like napster have made this interface
more acceptable.
i hope this points you in the right direction. now you know some of
the principles, use some search engines and notice that the ones that
are easiest to use are the ones that most closely fit these rules.
during this process, you will come up with some ideas for your
program's indiviual look. remember, copying off one or two people is
stealing, copying off hundreds is reseach. |
