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Google Search A/B Testing

over 6 years ago from

Was Googling around, this was the result I got. Curiously I tried to type in Designer News before screenshotting and it instantly removed the new layout.

I don't like this layout.

Google A/B Test

8 comments

  • Dan TildenDan Tilden, over 6 years ago

    I've seen this, too. I'm also not a fan, and neither are the material design guidelines!

    Specifically, look at the "don't" example that does exactly what this search UI does. (List of non-dismissable cards with identical heights)

    9 points
  • Dirk HCM van BoxtelDirk HCM van Boxtel, over 6 years ago

    Sucks. Why? Because it looks far more cramped. Why does it look far more cramped and claustrophobic? Simple: too many lines.

    Instead of having to worry about how much space there is between search results, they now need to worry about:

    • how big the drop shadow is
    • how much space between text and edge of the card x2
    • how much space in between cards

    I find it pretty ugly, but more importantly, it increases cognitive load significantly. Which you can't argue with because that's a fact!

    1 point
    • Cihad TurhanCihad Turhan, over 6 years ago

      it increases cognitive load significantly.

      How do you know that? Any resource?

      0 points
      • Dirk HCM van BoxtelDirk HCM van Boxtel, over 6 years ago

        Not for this particular source. But it's visual clutter. To me it seems a bit like you're asking me to prove the colour of the car is blue, when I can see it's blue.

        It's a large part of the reason why recent UIs have dropped all their border, shadows, etc. To minimise cognitive load / distractions. Proper use of white-space achieves the same effect, but with less "stuff" for the eyes to focus on or get distracted by.

        0 points
  • Luis La TorreLuis La Torre, over 6 years ago

    I keep thinking that the DN admins keep downgrading my stories :( https://www.designernews.co/stories/80017-google-ab-test

    1 point
  • Tony Jones, over 6 years ago

    yea, that layout has been around for a really long time. I have that layout on my new Google account. my old account still has the old layout.

    1 point