arrownac.com Search Results
Overview
Arrow began the effort to replace its outdated part search engine in January of 2008. With the new search came additional functionality to filter results by more data points and better speed than previously available. The interface needed to be updated to utilize these new capabilities.
Goals & Objectives
- Increase success of part searches by Arrow customers
- Make Arrow more competitive in the online component distribution market
- Create a compelling customer experience to
Challenges
- Utilizing designs done for the larger, global project that is due in a couple of years
- Displaying large amounts of data in a small screen
- Providing intuitive controls to a complex search tool allowing engineers to search and filter results using up to 15 different data points
Solutions
- Divide filtering into two sets, Basic and Advanced based on how deep customer is in the taxonomy
- Break out of arrownac.com fixed width design to better fit Advanced data table
- Layout search results in a table, instead of a list, to allow Engineers to quickly scan and compare data
- Add cross-reference information to the Part Detail page instead of taking up space on search results
- Utilize jQuery component to provide a clear and space efficient control to navigate the taxonomy tree
Outcome
- Overall response to the new search is good from both customers and Arrow sales force
- Search accuracy has increased
- Continually making small modifications to screens and interaction based on customer and internal feedback
- Updated homepage with new search box
- Basic filtering with jQuery category filter
- Advanced filter view of results table