Discovery Empty State

Help a user recover from an empty discovery view with useful next steps, suggested categories, and a clear path back into exploration. The screen connects Explore and Categories so product teams can find the “Browse suggestions” action while checking results and suggestions.

Use this reference when you need to design this workflow inside an existing product. The example includes practical records such as Try a broader search and Browse popular categories, rather than an empty visual shell.

Discovery Empty State
Use this template in Figr

Template facts

Screen

Onboarding

Primary action

Browse suggestions

Pattern

Onboarding

State

Default, loading, empty, error, permission, success

Design system

Adaptable product UI theme

What this screen helps users do

Product teams need a clear “Browse suggestions” action without losing sight of results, suggestions and the affected records. Keep the decision and its outcome clear before moving to the next task.

Key elements

  • Primary action: Browse suggestions is clearly available where the task happens.
  • Main view: Explore keeps the starting point obvious.
  • Connected view: Categories supplies nearby context.
  • Metric: Results is visible with a meaningful value.
  • Another signal: Suggestions helps people judge what to do next.
  • Representative record: Try a broader search makes the example specific.
  • Second record: Browse popular categories shows the pattern works beyond one item.

States worth designing

  • No previous setup; show what people can do instead of leaving a blank panel.
  • Loading explore without changing the layout unexpectedly.
  • Required verification failed; explain the problem and preserve work.
  • Permission denied for categories; clarify who can continue.
  • Success after choosing Browse suggestions; confirm the result and the next step.
  • Network or data refresh failure; offer a retry without losing context.

Where this screen sits in the flow

Explore → Categories → Browse suggestions → Review outcome

Patterns used

Onboarding, Explore, Categories, Saved, accessible states, contextual actions

Why these choices work

Show progress, required steps and why each task matters. Let users resume without losing completed work.

In this design, people should be able to compare Try a broader search with Browse popular categories. Make results clear, then use suggestions to explain whether the next step needs attention.

Before handing this to a designer or engineer, check keyboard focus, error copy, permissions and what happens after they choose the “Browse suggestions” action. The happy path alone is not enough.

Related UI examples: Compare Items, Favorites & Collections, Recent Items.

Start from this in Figr

Design a discovery empty state screen for our existing software product. Use our real design-system tokens, components and product language. Show Explore and Categories, include believable records such as Try a broader search, and make browse suggestions easy to find. Map loading, empty, failure, permission and success states before you create editable high-fidelity screens.

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