'Users like to navigate documents quickly using search': ReScript editing issue 7

Page section
Article editor

Heuristic
Learnability, memorability

Description
At times, users need to locate specific parts of sometimes quite lengthy and heavily marked-up documents, either to check the style of mark-up employed, or to look for a particular phrase which might be a candidate for mark-up. They may also wish to have a quick way of comparing the mark-up of matching items. Without a search function, this is problematic.
Impact severity
High

Recommendation
The inclusion of a search function in the control pane, with matches highlighted.

Examples
Parliamentary texts may continually refer to the same individuals, and users may choose to find all instances and mark them up consecutively.

Figure 7—1: the more heavily the text is marked up, the less easy it becomes to scan for key words.

Quantitative measure

You are looking for the name “Wallworth”. Click where you would expect to find a function which allowed you to search for this name within the current document.

Actual question

You are looking for the name “Wallworth”. Click where you would expect to find a function which allowed you to search for this name within the current document.

Initial click test result ('before')

November 2011: 120 responses.

Figure 7—2: before

Development change

Inclusion of a search function limited to the editing window, appearing second in the new toolbar.

Figure 7—3: matches within the text are highlighted and the document position is automatically moved to the first match

Follow-up click test result ('after')

December 2011: 90 responses.

Figure 7—4: after

Reflections

Using search is a necessary skill to add sohphistication into web browsing; users recognise and understand it as a function and the click groups above show that the revised interface is resoundingly clear in meeting this objective.