Person Search Pattern
Overview
This document outlines the comprehensive pattern for implementing person search functionality across various systems and use cases. It serves as a living document for best practices and expected behaviours.
Core Principles
- Progressive Disclosure: Complex features should be revealed only when needed
- Accessibility First: All features must be accessible to all users
- Privacy by Design: Data protection and security embedded throughout
- Cultural Awareness: Support for diverse naming conventions and formats
- Flexible Integration: Adaptable to various systems and standards
Feature Sets
1. Name Handling
Core Features
- Multiple first names
- Multiple surnames
- Multiple middle names
- Name order flexibility
- Basic name variations
Enhanced Features
- Preferred/known-as names
- Historical name tracking (e.g., maiden names)
- Prefix/suffix handling (Dr., Jr., etc.)
- Phonetic matching (Soundex, metaphone)
- Non-Latin character support
- Transliteration
- Cultural name format awareness
- Name confidence scoring
Expected Behaviours
- All name fields should be optional
- Name fields should accept Unicode characters
- Maximum length: 100 characters per field
- Minimum length: 1 character
- Whitespace should be trimmed
- Multiple names should be combinable in search
- Name matching should be case-insensitive
2. Date Intelligence
Core Features
- Multiple date of birth entries
- Range-based searching
- Standard date formats (UK, US, ISO)
Enhanced Features
- Partial date support (month/year only)
- Age-based searching
- Multiple calendar systems
- Season/quarter support
- Date confidence indicators
- Date approximation handling
Expected Behaviours
- Dates should be validated in real-time
- Future dates should be rejected
- Date ranges should be reasonable (e.g., ±10 years maximum)
- Clear format guidance should be provided
- Flexible input formats with standardised storage
3. Identity Markers
Core Features
- Basic biographical data
- Primary identifiers
Enhanced Features
- Multiple ID types support
- Place of birth
- Gender/sex markers (inclusive)
- Nationality/citizenship
- Address history
- Known associations
- Biometric markers
- Document references
Expected Behaviours
- ID validation where possible
- Cross-reference checking
- Privacy controls on sensitive data
- Clear purpose declaration for data collection
4. Search Intelligence
Core Features
- Basic matching
- Simple filtering
- Standard sorting
Enhanced Features
- Confidence scoring
- Weighted parameters
- Fuzzy matching controls
- Negative matching
- Saved searches
- Search history
- Machine learning enhancement
- Pattern recognition
Expected Behaviours
- Results should be ranked by relevance
- Clear indication of match quality
- Performance degradation handling
- Rate limiting on complex searches
5. Accessibility Requirements
Core Features
- ARIA labels
- Keyboard navigation
- Screen reader support
Enhanced Features
- High contrast modes
- Motor impairment support
- Voice input support
- Custom input methods
- Contextual help
- Error prevention
Expected Behaviours
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance minimum
- Consistent navigation patterns
- Clear error states
- Alternative text for all functions
6. Privacy and Security
Core Features
- Basic access control
- Data protection
- Audit logging
Enhanced Features
- Purpose declaration
- Role-based access
- Rate limiting
- Data masking
- Consent management
- Privacy impact assessment
- Security scanning
Expected Behaviours
- All searches must be logged
- PII must be protected
- Clear data handling policies
- Regular security reviews
Use Cases
Healthcare
- Patient record matching
- Historical record searching
- Emergency services lookup
- Insurance verification
- Clinical trial matching
Government Services
- Citizen identification
- Benefits administration
- Law enforcement
- Immigration control
- Public records
Financial Services
- KYC verification
- Fraud prevention
- Account matching
- Credit checking
- Risk assessment
Research
- Genealogy
- Academic research
- Historical records
- Population studies
- Clinical research
Data Management
- Deduplication
- Record linking
- Data quality
- System migration
- Archive management
Implementation Guidelines
API Design
- RESTful endpoints
- GraphQL support
- Webhook integration
- Batch processing
- Rate limiting
- Error handling
- Documentation
Performance Considerations
- Response time targets
- Caching strategy
- Query optimisation
- Load balancing
- Scalability planning
- Resource management
Integration Requirements
- Standard interfaces
- Data mapping
- Error handling
- Monitoring
- Support model
- Documentation
Testing Requirements
Functional Testing
- Core functionality
- Edge cases
- Error handling
- Integration points
- Performance metrics
Accessibility Testing
- Screen reader testing
- Keyboard navigation
- Visual impairment testing
- Motor impairment testing
- Cognitive testing
Security Testing
- Penetration testing
- Privacy assessment
- Compliance checking
- Load testing
- Stress testing
Maintenance and Evolution
Version Control
- Semantic versioning
- Change documentation
- Migration guides
- Deprecation policies
Monitoring
- Usage metrics
- Error tracking
- Performance monitoring
- User feedback
- Security monitoring
Improvement Process
- Feedback collection
- Feature prioritisation
- Release planning
- Documentation updates
- Training materials
Standards Compliance
Data Protection
- GDPR
- CCPA
- Industry-specific regulations
- Local requirements
Technical Standards
- ISO/IEC
- W3C
- Industry-specific
- Regional requirements
Accessibility Standards
- WCAG 2.1
- Section 508
- EN 301 549
- Regional requirements
Future Considerations
Emerging Technologies
- Biometric integration
- Blockchain identity
- AI/ML enhancement
- Voice interfaces
- AR/VR support
Evolving Requirements
- Regulatory changes
- Privacy evolution
- Technical advances
- User expectations
- Security threats
This pattern is maintained by the development team and should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure it remains current with best practices and requirements.