Quickly Access Recent and Frequent Contacts from Search
Coordinators frequently access the same small set of active contacts and peer mentors during periods of intensive coordination. Displaying a 'recent contacts' or 'frequent contacts' section at the top of the search screen before any query is entered reduces navigation time for repeat access patterns. This section is populated from client-side interaction history stored locally, respecting the same privacy and encryption constraints as the offline cache. Tapping a recent contact navigates directly to the contact detail screen, bypassing the search results list entirely. This interaction pattern aligns with the project's core design principle of minimizing cognitive load and reducing the number of steps to accomplish common tasks.
User Story
Acceptance Criteria
- Given the coordinator opens the search screen with no query entered, when the screen renders, then up to 5 recently viewed contacts are shown in a 'Recent' section
- Given a recent contact is tapped, when navigating, then the contact detail screen opens directly without requiring a search query
- Given the coordinator has viewed fewer than 5 contacts, when the recent section is shown, then only the contacts actually viewed are listed (no placeholder entries)
- Given the coordinator clears their recent history (via settings), when the search screen is opened, then the recent section is empty or hidden
- Given the coordinator types a query, when search results appear, then the recent contacts section is replaced by live search results
Business Value
Reducing the number of interactions needed to reach a frequently-used contact directly reduces cognitive load and time spent on navigation — a key design principle identified across all three organizations. For HLF, where a single peer mentor may have had 380 activity registrations in a year, coordinators managing active peer mentors benefit significantly from instant access to recent contacts without re-entering a query each session.