Designing scalable search & filtering for complex, data-rich archives

Project overview

Context

Findmypast operates multiple archival platforms with vast, complex datasets. Discovery experiences were inconsistent, making it difficult for users to explore and refine results effectively.

The Problem

Users struggled to:

• Refine results efficiently using complex filters
• Understand available options and filter structure
• Explore content without a precise starting point

Objective

• Support both targeted search and exploratory browsing
• Simplify and scale complex filtering
• Create a scalable, consistent discovery system

My role

End-to-end product design across search, filtering, and browse — from research and UX strategy to interaction design and delivery.

How I approached the problem

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Research and analysis

• Search was dominant, but refinement was inefficient
• Filters were powerful but underutilised
• Browsing behaviours were underserved
• Inconsistent patterns increased cognitive load

Design and feature development

Reframed discovery as a connected system — aligning search, filtering, and browsing into a unified experience.

• Newspaper Browse — enabling structured exploration by publication and date
• Filtering System — improving clarity, flexibility, and usability of complex filters

Developed wireframes and prototypes to test and iterate on interaction patterns.

Scalable UX system

Developed reusable patterns applied across Findmypast, the British Newspaper Archive, and The Social History Archive — balancing consistency with platform-specific needs.

Product optimisation process

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• Delivered through an iterative cycle of research, prototyping, and validation — using behavioural insights and ongoing feedback to refine the experience.

Key achievements

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• Introduced a scalable filtering system to support growing datasets across platforms
• Improved clarity and usability of complex filters
• Enabled both targeted and exploratory discovery behaviours
• Established a consistent foundation for cross-platform search and browse experiences

Skills demonstrated

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• Product design for complex systems
• Interaction design for data-heavy interfaces
• Search and discovery UX
• Cross-platform design thinking
• User research and behavioural analysis
• Cross-functional collaboration

Key product insights

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• Users approached discovery in two ways: targeted search and open-ended exploration
• Filters were underutilised due to complexity and low visibility
• Browsing is critical when users lack precise queries
• Consistency across platforms reduces cognitive load