Chap16 - Designing Effective Input
Transcript of Chap16 - Designing Effective Input
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Chapter 16Designing Effective Input
Systems Analysis and DesignKendall and Kendall
Fifth Edition
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Kendall & Kendall Copyright 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 16-2
Major Topics
Input designForm designScreen designMicrocomputer/mainframe differences
GUI screen designGUI controlsWeb design guidelines
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Input Design Objectives
The quality of system input determinesthe quality of system output
Well-designed input objectivesEffectiveness
Accuracy
Ease of useConsistencySimplicity
Attractiveness
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Form Design
Guidelines for good form designMake forms easy to fill outEnsure that forms meet the purpose forwhich they are designedDesign forms to assure accurate
completionKeep forms attractive
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Form Completion
To make forms easy to fill out, thefollowing techniques are used:
First, design forms with proper flow, fromleft to right and top to bottomSecond, group information logically using
the seven sections of a formThird, provide people with clear captions
Captions tell the person completing the formwhat to put on a blank line, space, or box
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Seven Sections of a Form
The seven sections of a formHeadingIdentification and accessInstructionsBody
Signature and verificationTotalsComments
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Caption Types
Captions may be one of the following:Line caption, putting the caption on thesame line or below the lineBoxed caption, providing a box for datainstead of a line
Vertical check off, lining up choices oralternatives verticallyHorizontal check off, lining up choices oralternatives horizontally
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Meeting the Intended Purpose
Systems analysts may use different typesof specialty forms for different purposes
Specialty forms can also mean formsprepared by a stationerThe disadvantages of the specialty formsare
High costUsers can get bogged down with the red tapegenerated by meaningless multiple-part forms
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Ensuring Accurate Completion
To reduce error rates associated withdata collection, forms should bedesigned to assure accurate completionDesign forms to make people do theright thing with the formTo encourage people to completeforms, systems analysts should keepforms attractive
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Attractive Forms
To be more attractive, forms shouldlook uncluttered, and elicit informationin the expected order
Aesthetic forms or usage of differentfonts within the same form can helpmake it more attractive
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Form Spacing
Computer printer entries require aminimum of 1/6-inch spacing betweenlinesHandwritten entries requireapproximately 1/4 inchWhen forms are completed by eitherhand or by a printer, allow about 1/3-inch intervals between lines
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Microcomputer Form DesignSoftware
Numerous microcomputer form designsoftware is availableFeatures of electronic form designsoftware
Ability to design paper, electronic, or Web-
based formsForm design using templatesForm design by cutting and pasting familiar
shapes and objects
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Microcomputer Form DesignSoftware
Further form design software featuresFacilitates completion through the use of softwarePermits customized menus, toolbars,keyboards, and macros
Supports popular databasesEnables broadcasting of electronic formsPermits sequential routing of forms
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Microcomputer Form DesignSoftware
Further form design software features Assists form trackingEncourages automatic delivery andprocessingEstablishes security for electronic forms
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Controlling Business Forms
Controlling forms includeMaking sure that each form in use fulfillsits specific purposeThat the specified purpose is integral toorganizational functioning
Preventing duplication of informationcollected and the forms that collect itDesigning effective forms
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Controlling Business Forms
Controlling forms include (continued)Deciding on how to get forms reproducedin the most economical wayEstablishing stock control and inventoryprocedures that make forms available
when needed, at the lowest possible cost
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Screen Design Guidelines
Guidelines for good screen designFirst, keep the screen simpleSecond, keep the screen presentationconsistentThird, facilitate user movement among
screensFinally, create an attractive screen
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Three Screen Sections
To keep the screen simple, it is dividedinto three sections:
HeadingBodyComments and instructions
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Screen Design Concepts forSimplicity
Displaying a few necessary basiccommands using windows or hyperlinksis another way to keep screens simpleFor the occasional user, only 50 percentof the screen should contain useful
informationFor the regular user, up to 90 percentof the screen may contain information
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Screen Design Concepts forSimplicity
Simplistic design includes maximizing orminimizing the window size as neededClicking the right mouse button is oftenused to display more options for thewindow
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Consistency
Consistency is achieved by displayinginformation in the same area or bygrouping information logicallyConsistency means using the sameterms and acronyms on several screens
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Facilitating Movement
Guidelines for facilitating movementfrom one screen to another
Scrolling the screen back and forthCalling up another screen for more detailUsing onscreen dialogue through the
promptsWeb pages may use buttons or commandsto facilitate scrolling and screen movement
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Facilitating Movement
Further guidelinesThe three clicks rule says that users shouldbe able to get to the screens they needwithin three mouse or keyboard clicksCharacter-based screens scroll bydisplaying new screens, using standardfunction keysGUI screens should not scrollWeb screens often scroll
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Designing an Attractive Screen
To make the screen attractive useDifferent thickness of separation linesbetween subcategoriesInverse video and blinking cursorsIcons which are pictorial onscreen
representations symbolizing computeractionsDifferent combinations of colorsDifferent type fonts
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Microcomputer and MainframeDifferences
Microcomputer and mainframecomputers have the followingdifferences in their operation:Microcomputers
Respond to any keystroke
Define fields without attribute charactersRequire no space between screen fields
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Mainframe Computers
Mainframe computersRespond when an Attention IDentifier(AID) key is pressedDefine screen fields using attributecharacters
The attribute character takes up onescreen position for each field
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Attribute Characters
Attribute characters indicateProtectionIntensityShiftExtended attributes
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Using Icons in Screen Design
Icons are used in graphical screens torun programs and execute commandsGraphical User Interface (GUI) are usedin conjunction with a mouse for makingselections and entering data
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Graphical User Interface (GUI)Controls
GUI controls or fieldsText boxes
Check boxesOption or radio buttonsList and drop-down list boxes
Sliders and spin buttonsImage mapsText area
Message boxes
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Text Boxes
Text boxes should be large enough toaccommodate all the field charactersCaptions should be to the left of thetext boxCharacter data should be left alignedwithin the boxNumeric data right aligned
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Check Boxes
Check boxes are used for nonexclusivechoicesCaptions are placed to the right of thecheck boxIf there are more than 10 check boxes,group with a border or white space
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Option Buttons and Drop-downList Boxes
Option or radio buttons are used formutually exclusive choicesOften they are placed in a border calledan option groupList and drop-down list boxes are usedto select one choice out of many
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Sliders, Spin Buttons, andImage Maps
Sliders and spin buttons are used tochange data that have a continuous
range of valuesThey are often accompanied by a textbox for entering exact numerical values
Image maps are used to select valueswithin an imageThe x and y coordinates are sent to theprogram
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Text Area
A text area is used for entering a largeramount of text
These areas may have text that wrapswhen the text reaches the end of thebox
There are two ways to handle the textHard return is used to force new linesUse word wrap within the text area
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Message Boxes and CommandButtons
Message boxes are used to displaywarning and other messages in adialogue box
They have an OK button or an OK and aCancel button
Command buttons perform an actionThe text is centered inside the button
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Tab Control Dialogue Boxes
Tab control dialog boxes help organizeGUI features (controls) for usersEach tab dialog box should have threebasic buttons:
OK
CancelHelp
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Web Page Dialogue Boxes
A new type of dialogue box has the look and feel of a Web pageButtons are called places and arehyperlinked to items a user would wishto access
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Color
The five most legibleforeground/background color
combinations for display monitors areBlack on yellowGreen on white
Blue on whiteWhite on blue
Yellow on black
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Skins
Skins are graphical overlays that allowcustomers to change the appearance of
a Web site depending on theirpreferences for a particular kind of image
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Internet and Intranet DesignGuidelines
Guidelines for creating intranet andInternet input pages
Use a variety of text boxes, push buttons,radio buttons, drop-down lists, and otherGUI features
Provide clear instructionsInclude radio buttons when users mustmake a bipolar choice
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Internet and Intranet DesignGuidelines
Further intranet/Internet guidelinesUse check boxes to test conditions to true
or untrueUse a logical entry sequence for fill-informs
Include two basic buttons: Submit andClear
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Internet and Intranet DesignGuidelines
Further intranet/Internet guidelinesCreate a feedback screen that lists error
messages if a form has not correctly beenfilled outProvide a scrolling text box if you areuncertain how much text will be enteredIf the form is lengthy, divide it into severalsimpler forms on separate pages
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Ecommerce Applications
Ecommerce applications involve morethan just good Web site design
Customers need to be confident of thesite, including privacy and security