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I'm working on a web research tool and unsure which flow makes more sense. My users have multiple projects so saving their research under folders is important. About 20% of the time, they'll perform a quick research without caring whether their research is saved or not. Which flow makes more sense?
1) Type in keyword > Display list of keywords > Option to save under a folder
2) Create a folder > Type in keyword > Display list of keywords
I'm open for alternatives as well.
Let the user decide what he want first and ask him your question in the right time. ... the main task for any user using your website is to do a research, so let him do his research first. he will never think to make a folder before his research. because -simply- what name he will give to that folder? he should know first what he is searching for and according to the retrieved content he may name a folder based on what he may find.
You may find this flow in online markets, the user is surfing and collecting what ever he want in his cart and once he click "buy now" a login screen appear to either login or sign up for a new account.
So I am with the first option
I assume that your users search through your website (or browse) and as a result have a list of topics which they might want to add to an existing project or a new project.
I also assume that your users wouldn't like to browse through a list of their own created projects and start research, but rather just carry out their research first and then add their research to their projects. If a project is already chosen (or a default project), then that project will be shown already selected.
You can give them a button with a drop-down with their default project (if already selected) as the primary option.
You might consider removing the option from this flow and instead have the system save the research automatically into a special folder called "recent searches". Each user would have such a folder, which they could come back to later and decide whether to save or delete.
