# Search UX

> Design search experiences that help users find content and actions quickly through query, results, filters, and empty states. Use when building or improving product search, filtering, or discovery interfaces.

- Skill: `itsual/search-ux` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add itsual/search-ux`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/itsual/search-ux/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: itsual (https://skillmd.com/u/itsual)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/itsual/search-ux

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# Search UX

## Overview

Search is often the fastest path to value in content-rich products. Good search UX handles intent, ambiguity, zero results, and refinement without friction.

## When to Use

- Global or contextual product search
- Filterable lists and catalogs
- Command palettes and jump-to navigation
- Improving poor findability

## Core Practices

- Support progressive query refinement
- Show relevant results fast; explain ranking when helpful
- Design zero-results and typo/no-match recovery
- Offer filters and facets that match user mental models
- Highlight matches and provide enough result context
- Consider recent searches and suggestions carefully for privacy

## Principles

- Speed and relevance beat feature count
- Empty and low-quality results need intentional design
- Search and browse should complement each other
- Advanced filters shouldn’t block simple queries

## Verification

- [ ] Users can recover from zero results
- [ ] Results provide enough context to choose
- [ ] Filters reduce noise without confusion