People can purchase and find everything they want in minutes with advanced Internet possibilities. However, the immense choice of products and services doesn’t make it easy to proceed with the purchase. So, customers appear trapped in a digital maze where they face numerous challenges to find the unique product they need.
But there is a solution to that whose effectiveness was confirmed by leading industry giant Amazon: filter options, which they call “a functionality that can make millions”. Sounding that easy, filtering is usually underestimated. But this is another realm where UI/UX designers can dive deep and return with brilliant solutions!
Modern software as a service (SaaS) platforms store tons of data. And users, not always specifically clients but even internal employees, can easily get lost when searching for specific information. But UX filter design aims to simplify their lives. So, a filter in user experience is a data processing tool that helps to extract specific data based on set conditions and criteria. The main goal of these user interface (UI) elements is to improve usability by enabling users to work with complex datasets easily. Thus, they don’t have to scroll hundreds of pages to reach that particular number, word, or section they are looking for.
Filter UI design presents developers and design experts with diverse types of filters:
Even though the final goal of incorporating filter UX design is to provide end users with a data sorting option, it can be executed differently. Consider these factors to find the best fit for your SaaS product needs. First, consider the context of your business and your users’ needs. For instance, your product is a customer relationship management (CRM) app. Thus, its users, who are marketers, customer support agents, and sales representatives, would need filtering options such as user demographics, activity status, and purchase history. Secondly, the complexity and volume of data must be analyzed. For example, adding dropdown lists or checkboxes is best if there are small amounts of data. Large volumes will require nested or search filters.
And thirdly, take device and screen size into account. You can add extensive filters like dropdowns with multiple options for desktop UX design. Add the most relevant data sorting instruments for mobile screens to let users easily select them.
Filters create a separate group within UI/UX design and should be implemented following these principles.
As filters are small UI elements, they have to be as concise and clear as possible. Avoid using complex jargon only a limited group of professionals understand. For instance, naming a filter “Temporal range selector” bears the same meaning as “Date range”.
If you mark filters with icons, make sure they are universally recognizable and do not present another maze for users to resolve. Adhere to a minimalistic filter design to avoid excessive clutter.
What’s the point of adding a filter to a page if it displays the desired results at a snail’s pace? The research shows that 40% of customers abandon the site if it doesn’t load for three seconds. So make sure you maintain user engagement level by providing quick filter results showing responses.
Another speed consideration many platforms don’t address seriously is dynamic information updates when other filters are enabled. This problem arises frequently, and you, as an active Internet user, have probably experienced it.
The efficiency of filter UI design also depends on the accessibility factor: making it available for people with disabilities. For that purpose, designers include alternative options like keyboard navigation so that everyone can enable filtering on a SaaS platform.
Even though filters are a part of the UI/UX design, they can still be customized. The first way to provide advanced customization is by saving the filled combinations. Thus, the users won’t need to waste time by setting the sorting options every time they enter SaaS.
The second way is to tailor filtering offers based on unique user parameters. For instance, by identifying the user’s location, the search can already display relevant information or include a precise map.
Sticking to clear visual feedback principles is crucial to provide the smoothest experience. Every time end customers apply filters, they should easily understand what is happening.
As filter design is a part of the UI/UX design field, you have to follow unified design principles that apply to every aspect of the overall digital design. And one of the rules to stick to is to provide users with consistency. For example, if you always put the filters button on the left, every time data sorting tools appear, they should be placed on the left. Thus, users will quickly locate them.
Since there are already filter patterns well-recognized by users, you don’t need to handle rocket science. Use commonly applied like dropdowns, sliders, and others to meet customers’ expectations.
If you want to simplify data processing for your users and not confuse them, use these practices when designing filter UI/UX design.
You might create the most advanced filter, which will be visually appealing and technically well-thought-out. But this is not enough to provide the value for end customers. Make clarity and simplicity top priorities.
Name filtering options in plain English without using complex terms only qualified developers and designers will understand.
The order you locate filters also means a lot. Every SaaS product has commonly used features. Put those data sorting options people will frequently use in a prominent position.
To reduce cognitive load, UI/UX designers should organize filters in logical groups. For instance, for a SaaS CRM platform, you can create such divisions: for customer information — attach contact information, location, and customer type; for sales — put lead status, deal stage, and assigned manager; for product information — add several purchased products, any upsells, and subscription plan.
To improve navigation among filters, organize groups of options in a hierarchy: from the most general and frequently used to the specific ones and rarely used.
Visual guidance also works well when enhancing user orientation. Include icons, collapsible menus, and separators to show relations between filters.
Whenever users do any actions on the platform, they must be informed of the results. UI/UX filter design refers to identifying active filters so that clients see what categories they enable. You can also apply color coding or other visual techniques to increase intuitiveness.Another aspect that keeps customers informed is the number of filtered results. Once users see them, they are sure the filter was applied and work correctly.
Search functionality and filtering go hand in hand. Enhanced data sorting can not exist without advanced search possibilities. Thus, if you aim for a robust filter design, incorporate such options as predictive search and auto-suggestive search. This will reduce users’ time and effort to locate specific features or information.Such niche-targeted products as SaaS usually serve tech-savvy customers. So you should also add supporting advanced search query options.
Statistics show that US adults spend 88% of their browsing time using mobile apps. So, building filter UX for mobile devices is not a choice but a must-decision if you want to compete in the market.The specifics of building a mobile filtering system are small screen size and different device requirements. So, prioritize including only essential filters, simple layouts, and touch interactions.
Filter design is not limited to simple data sorting options. If your SaaS is an advanced system where a lot of data is located under different sections, you can incorporate these complex filters:
The level of usability and intuitiveness define design effectiveness. Filter design is not an exception. To confirm whether the filtering options you enabled on your SaaS simplify user journeys, you need to test them. These types of performance validation methods will be helpful.
Testing SaaS with real users is a pillar of software testing. When checking the filter design effectiveness, it is essential to ask diverse groups of users to be involved in the process. Give your participants tasks, observe how easily they can complete them, and find the appropriate filter list.
Real user feedback pinpoints the filter’s functionality and helps understand pain points and places where data sorting options are not intuitive.
Due to the variety of filter types and methods of their application, you might wonder what filter to put and where. However, these doubts can be dispelled by conducting A/B testing. This procedure compares two variations of filter layouts, styles, or functionalities and chooses the most efficient one.
For example, you can test the hypothesis whether horizontal filters are more intuitive than vertical. You can see which option works best based on metrics such as engagement rate, error rate, and completion time.
Filters, as a part of the digital design realm, evolve simultaneously. What was working a year ago might not show the same metrics now. That is why following a continuous improvement approach is crucial.
To provide the best filter UX, follow the UI/UX trends and leverage analytical data. Also, be always open to user feedback as your goal is to address customer needs, which then positively reflect business needs.
Even though designing filters might seem easy compared to creating a whole UI/UX design, it still has its pitfalls. These mistakes happen frequently among filter design creators:
Let’s look at real examples of platforms that leveraged the potential of filter UX and turned it into a profitable investment.
As Amazon is one of the “giants” who declared the need for filters in the digital world, it would be inappropriate to mention it. Designers of this marketplace have done significant work as its users can quickly sort the products based on price range, shipping options, ratings, etc. Plus, Amazon has a robust natural feedback system that keeps customers updated.
As a designer or an entrepreneur, you definitely heard about Asana, a project management tool. And filters contributed to their popularity. With extensive search options, you can locate any project, with any collaborators, or at any completion stage within minutes.
Do you need to improve your skills in a specific area but don’t know a course to help you do so? Coursera has got you covered! You can locate relevant courses with such filters as skill level, institution, language, duration, etc.
Filters serve multiple options, but most importantly, they directly influence user satisfaction. These UI/UX design elements improve user experience, provide clarity, and offer quick decisions for big data processing. However, a structured approach is needed to use them correctly, covering user needs analysis, data amount identification, and device requirements. So if you want to enhance your SaaS project with filter UX or improve its overall design, our professional agency can be of help. Contact us, and let’s discuss how we can grow your business together!
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