Search Transparency Skill

Principle

Users should never have to guess what data is being queried. Semantic and keyword search interfaces must explicitly state the searchable attributes to improve discoverability and expectation management.

UI Requirements

1. Specific Placeholders

Avoid generic "Search...", "Find items...", or "Describe what you lost..." placeholders. Use specific, comma-separated lists of searchable fields.

Bad:

• •placeholder="Search items..."
• •placeholder="Search..."

Good:

• •placeholder="Search by name, category, or location..."
• •placeholder="Describe item color, brand, or location..." (for semantic search)

2. Status Indicators

When switching between search modes (e.g., Keyword vs. AI/Semantic), the placeholder should update to reflect the different search logic (e.g., "Search tags..." vs. "Describe the item...").

AI Interaction Rules

When the USER asks about search, or when implementing new search features, the ASSISTANT must:

1. •Enumerate the exact fields included in the search index (e.g., nameTag, description, location, category).
2. •Clearly distinguish between keyword (substring match) and semantic (embedding-based) search capabilities.
3. •Suggest UI improvements that follow the "explicit placeholder" rule.