Improve UX around event searches

[valgrimm]

When a visitor comes to the Events page and immediately does a full-text search, they will only see events taking place in the next six months, because the default view of the Events page (which should not change) is events taking place in the next six months. This is unintuitive because then a user can search for a past event and not understand quickly why it is not showing up.

~Which is the best way to solve this problem?~ ~1) Clear the default filter when text search is used so all Events can be searched.~ ~2) Move the "Date" tickboxes down by the text search field so the relationship is clearer.~ ~3) Something else.~

~Once we have an answer, this ticket will get AC (:~

~Your UX advice would be welcome, @malqinneh. Thanks!~

AC

• [ ] Above the pagination controls on every page of search results, if any, we show a link to a non-date filtered version of that query.
• [ ] This message is only shown if the default date-filtering is in use. If the user has selected Past or Future events manually, we can trust they know what they've scoped to
• [ ] Phrasing for link/content: "Don't see the event you were looking for? Currently, you're only searching events happening in the next six months. Click here to include all past and future events in your search." - [ ] Following the link above will return events that match the search terms and filters, if any, and the Past Events and Future Events checkboxes will be ticked
• [ ] If there are no matches when all date filtering is applied, we don't show this refinement cue message

[stevejalim]

As an extension/variant of 1) may I suggest:

4. We show a message above the pagination controls on every page of search results, if any, with a link to a non-date filtered version of that query: "Showing results within the next 6 months only. Search across all events"

Indeed this would help all situations with filters, not just search

[malqinneh]

This is unintuitive because then a user can search for a past event and not understand quickly why it is not showing up.

Is this the expectation from DevPortal visitors/users? What percentage?

If majority of users expect to see past events in their search results then it makes sense to show past events in search results, just as how you suggested here:

Clear the default filter when text search is used so all Events can be searched.

If majority of users do not expect to see past events in their search results, but a considerable portion do, then I can see something like what @stevejalim suggested working well:

We show a message above the pagination controls on every page of search results, if any, with a link to a non-date filtered version of that query: "Showing results within the next 6 months only. Search across all events"

@valgrimm do we know which way user expectation tips?

[valgrimm]

It isn't clear because Search wasn't in the scope of the last user testing, not being implemented yet (even on Staging). Steve and I uncovered this issue earlier today. So, message sounds like the right solution here then. Thanks @malqinneh ! (I'll fine-tune error copy with Steve)

[valgrimm]

Error copy: "Don't see the event you were looking for? Currently, you're only searching events happening in the next six months. Select the 'Past Events' and/or 'Future Events' checkboxes to expand your search."

@stevejalim Should I create another ticket to move the Past and Future checkboxes down by the text search, or can that be included in this ticket?

[stevejalim]

Should I create another ticket to move the Past and Future checkboxes down by the text search, or can that be included in this ticket?

I would suggest that we don't need to move it down - it breaks the user expectation of where they'll find the filters (vs the Posts page and People page) so if we move things, I would say we move Search up to the top. That could be a separate card, post-launch as part of tweaks

[valgrimm]

agreed

[valgrimm]

ticket for after launch to move thing is #1703.

[stevejalim]

@valgrimm I've tweaked your wording a bit, because we can make the message be a link that automatically applies existing filters + broadens out the data filtering -- see the AC in the description

[valgrimm]

✔️ yay