Make it easier for users to learn about and find help resources for Advanced Search

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Problem to solve

In &8271 it was identified that users are often unaware that there are help resources available when using Global Search. For Advanced Search, we offer a link in the page today that goes to our documentation, but this isn't very clear to users. It also requires them to navigate away to the docs page to obtain any additional information as to what Advanced Search even is.

Proposal

In https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/ux-research/-/issues/1959 we tested one of our common methods of offering help information to users for Advanced Search. This utilizes a known indicator for help information (question mark icon), which when hovered presents a brief overview of Advanced Search along with a link to our full documentation. This tested well with users, with the only negative feedback being around making the popover summary more descriptive and clear.

• 🕊️ Dovetail Research Findings

Tasks

• Create a version of the popover for the disabled state of Advanced Search
• Review popover content with technical writer to inform improvements

Implementation Guide

• Figma designs
• Prototype of popover (Enabled)
• Prototype of popover (Disabled)

This change is to update the current messaging around Advanced Search being enabled/disabled. This issue does not include moving this messaging from its current location (top right of the page). That will be handled in #348739 (closed).

When Advanced Search is enabled

• Display messaging with question-o icon that shows a Popover on hover.
• "Learn more." link goes to https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/search/advanced_search.html

Initial UI content:

Advanced Search is enabled. [icon]

Popover content:

Advanced Search includes more syntax options and filters than basic search. The search also allows you to search for code across all of your projects, rather than just one. Learn more.

When Advanced Search is disabled (only shown when Advanced Search is enabled and not on the default branch)

• Display messaging with question-o icon that shows a Popover on hover.
• "What is Advanced Search?" link goes to https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/search/advanced_search.html

Initial UI content:

Advanced Search is disabled. [icon]

Popover content:

Advanced Search works only for the default branch. What is Advanced Search?

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