case study · search ux

Pearson Search

Overview

Originally split across separate sites, educators and students needed a consolidated search experience that met both of their needs.

My role

As Lead UX Designer, I adapted both the educator and student search experiences using Algolia. I also ran discovery exercises to explore federated search.

Research

I used competitive analysis to understand how Pearson’s competitors differentiated between educator and student search behaviors.

Competitive analysis of search experiences

Predictive search

With thousands of products available, predictive search helps people find what they’re looking for quickly.

List vs. grid

People process information differently, so offering both a list view and a grid view makes the experience easier. Both views provide complete pricing, platform and format information.

Filtering and sorting

Filters narrow down results. Research showed users preferred to filter by subject first, then by format and price. Educators and students also need a way to sort their results.

**Filtering.** Subject first, then format and price.

**Sorting.** Results can be reordered to suit the task.

Federated search discovery

To surface thought leadership articles, blogs, events and webinars alongside product results, I explored federated search using a mega menu.