Are there good UI patterns for designing search forms with many fields? [closed]

Question

I'm having a difficult time finding any resources that describe good UI patterns for large search forms. I have a form that requires 20+ possible inputs and can't come up with a design I feel good about (although in my defense I'm no design expert). In my case I'm looking for a web solution, but I imagine a UI-pattern for this scenario is probably platform-agnostic.

I've looked at some sites like Google and Amazon (advanced searches) and am wondering if there are better ideas. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I think google advanced search is a good starting point.

You might want to bear in mind the following things:

1. Make sure you are clear about the need for each field in the form. They may all be completely necessary, but if some are not, then they could be making the form unnecessarily complex.

2. Try to group your questions into logical areas using fieldsets and separate them visually on the page. This should make it easier to process the form.

3. You can try hiding areas of your form using javascript to make the initial view less confusing. Although this risks confusing users if the controls for showing those sections are poorly labeled.

4. Make sure you try out your design on as many people as possible - ideally from the community who will use it.

Some resources to consider:

I realise there are some specific challenges in search form design, but the following resources ought to be of some help.

• Forms on UI patterns

• Wufoo - form designs for many different purposes, but there may be something of use to you there.

• Luke Wroblewski's book Web Form Design is a great starting point if you're trying to develop your knowledge of how to design and layout forms. If you haven't time to get hold of the book, his website also has some helpful pointers.

• If you want to go deeper, you could also consider Information Architecture for the World Wide Web by Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville. A bit old now, but has some excellent chapters on designing a search system for a web site.