Use prompt suggestions to help users form AI requests. Use search suggestions to help users phrase retrieval queries. Use a command palette to execute commands or jump to destinations.
Use prompt suggestions to help users form AI requests. Use search suggestions to help users phrase retrieval queries. Use a command palette to execute commands or jump to destinations.
Practice the judgment: Imagine this situation: Auto-submitting a suggested prompt before the user can edit missing context. Write the person's goal, choose one of these patterns, and show the state that helps the person continue. Use the decision rules and source trail below to explain your choice.
Review the underlying principle →| Dimension | Prompt suggestions | Search suggestions | Command palette |
|---|---|---|---|
| UI or UX | UI + UX - AI prompt starter surface | UI + UX - Suggested-query surface | UI + UX - Modal command surface |
| UI guidance | Render contextual prompt starter cards or chips with a task label, editable prompt text, capability boundary, selected state, disabled or stale state, and explicit send action. | Keep suggestions visually tied to the current input. | Render a compact dialog-like command surface with a search input, current scope, typed command mode, active result, command metadata, and empty state. |
| UX guidance | Help users discover useful AI requests while preserving control over the exact prompt that is sent. | Help the person reach a clear task outcome. | Accelerate expert navigation and repeated actions across a large product while preserving ordinary navigation for novice and low-frequency users. |
| Good UI | Each prompt starter shows an action label, full prompt preview, and boundary note such as uses selected thread only. | Suggestions appear directly below the search field with active row, readable labels, and optional matched text. | Centered command surface with input, shortcut hint, scope chip, grouped commands, command type labels, and a visible active row. |
| Bad UI | A suggestion styled like a final AI answer rather than an editable starting point. | Promoted results styled the same as typed query suggestions. | Huge branded modal that buries the input below decorative content. |
| Good UX | Selecting a starter loads a draft, moves focus to the prompt editor, and lets the user adjust scope before sending. | Users can keep typing, choose a suggestion, dismiss suggestions, or submit their own query. | Keyboard shortcut or visible trigger opens the palette, focus lands in the command input, arrows move the active row, and Enter activates the highlighted safe command. |
| Bad UX | A vague prompt such as do everything perfectly is auto-filled and sent. | Auto-submitting the top suggestion. | Palette is the only way to reach important navigation. |
| Best fit | The AI surface supports open-ended requests and users need examples of useful, supported tasks. | The system can predict likely queries. | Users need to traverse a broad product surface quickly. |
| Avoid when | The user must provide fixed required fields that are clearer as a form. | Suggestions are low quality or biased toward irrelevant content. | The app has only a few obvious actions. |
| Required state | Initial state with contextual prompt starters and capability or source boundary notes. | Typing state with suggestions. | Closed state with discoverable trigger. |
| Accessibility burden | Expose suggestions as named buttons, list items, or cards with clear keyboard focus and selected state. | Expose the suggestions list and active option. | Use dialog semantics with a clear name and modal behavior when the rest of the page is inert. |
| Common misuse | Auto-submitting a suggested prompt before the user can review or edit it. | Showing unrelated promoted results as suggestions. | Hiding basic navigation behind a keyboard-only palette. |