What to change
Ask your supplier to prevent delayed results for an earlier query replacing the suggestions for what the visitor is currently typing.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A visitor changes a search from dental to physiotherapy. Delayed dental suggestions never replace the physiotherapy choices after the input has changed.
Why this matters to your practice
Search should keep pace with the visitor's latest words. If someone replaces one service name with another, an older response must not put irrelevant suggestions back on screen. This can be difficult to spot on a fast office connection. Ask your supplier to reproduce the delay in a test environment, then choose one of the resulting suggestions. Both its wording and its destination should match the current search. A corrected label is not sufficient if it still opens an old result.
A practical review example
Someone may begin searching for one service, change their mind and replace the words quickly. On a slower connection, the earlier response can arrive last. Ask your supplier to reproduce that timing safely and show that the visible suggestions still belong to the current query. Then select one and check the destination. Updating the displayed wording alone would not be sufficient if the link still opens an older result. The visitor's latest search should govern both the names and the actions offered.
How to check the result
Accept when results consistently match the current query and no stale selectable option remains under a newly updated label.
A mistake to avoid
Simply changing the search box text does not establish that the list and its clickable destinations were updated together.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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