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Transcript of CS 275Tidwell Course NotesPage 16 Chapter 2: Organizing The Content There are two primary ways to...
Tidwell Course NotesCS 275 Page 1
Chapter 2: Organizing The Content
There are two primary ways to organize the planned content of your software application’s design:(1) Organize in the abstract by
considering how the content of the actual application should be arranged.(2) Organize according to how the
application’s information might be effectively presented to the user. These approaches
are not mutually exclusive!
Tidwell Course NotesCS 275 Page 2
IdiomsScott McCloud’s 1993 book “Understanding Comics” explores the concept of idioms, interface components with meanings that have become familiar enough to users to no longer need elaborate explanations.
Tidwell Course NotesCS 275 Page 3
GUI IdiomsIn recent years, numerous idioms have developed in the field of computer application interfaces.
Idiomatic Phrasing
“Back” means “Return to the
directory address that the
user was viewing prior to the current one”
Idiomatic Action
Drag-And-Drop means “Move the
selected file or folder and
its contents to the
designated folder in which it is dropped”
Idiomatic ObjectSlider means “Vertically adjust the text in the associated list so more rows can be seen, either above or below what is currently displayed”
Tidwell Course NotesCS 275 Page 4
Nouns & VerbsSoftware applications use a mixture of objects that the user can examine and actions that the user can take.
What are the objects
and actions for this Mouse Properties application
?
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Organizing ObjectsWhen presenting objects to a user in an application, they are frequently organized into lists or tables that facilitate finding particular items wanted by the user.
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Organizing ActionsWhether presenting the user with action alternatives in a list, a grid, or a menu, it’s important not to overwhelm the user with too many options or too much wording.
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Organizing CategoriesWhen presenting an extensive amount of material to users, an application might categorize the data into some kind of order or hierarchy that facilitates finding what one wants.
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Organizing ToolsAn application that provides the user with access to various tools or utilities should avoid confusing the user regarding what the tool is or what it does.
Tidwell Course NotesCS 275 Page 9
Paging, Tiling, & TabbingWhen there’s too much information in an application to fit inside a single window, several options exist...Using multiple windows can be very
confusing to the user; having multiple windows visible simultaneously should be particularly avoided.
Tiled panes consume screen real estate and can overwhelm beginners.
Tabbed forms inhibit openness in the interface, forcing the user to search
for desired information.
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Pattern #13: Two-Panel SelectorSimultaneously displaying a list of items and details
about the user’s selection reduces strain to both the eyes and the memory
Example: In this “Course
Offerings” application,
selections from the list of
courses on the left result in the
display of information
about the selected course
on the right.
Example: In Windows Explorer, selections from the list of folders on the left result in the display of the files contained in the selected folder on the right.
Execute
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Pattern #14: Canvas Plus PaletteApplications involving design or creation can be made
easier to learn by using a “palette” of icons to modify a “canvas”
Example: Microsoft Visio affords users
the ability to design structures in the primary canvas
pane, using standard
components from the icon palette on
the left.
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Pattern #15: One-Window DrilldownWhen space is limited, the same interface region
might be used for consecutive displays.
Example: TiVo uses a simple menu-
oriented interface driven by a remote
control to allow users to proceed to
the desired information or
functionality.
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Pattern #16: Alternative ViewsAllow users to modify the actual contents of the
application display, according to their personal tastes
Example: Windows
Explorer allows users to display
folder contents in a variety of
ways: thumbnails,
filmstrip, icons, details.
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Pattern #17: WizardWalking the user through the application one step at a time can facilitate providing the proper responses for the application
Example: To ensure that a compressed folder is correctly decompressed, named, and stored, an extraction wizard leads the user through a step-by-step process.
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Pattern #18: Extras on DemandHide unimportant, less frequently needed information,
but make it easily accessible
Example: In the “Course Offerings”
application, the textbook
information is accessible via a checked menu item, but could
easily be hidden.
Example: Windows Media Player has both a skin mode and a full mode,
with additional text and controls.
Execute
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Pattern #19: Intriguing BranchesProviding mechanisms for users to access additional
information, but without forcing them to do so, can make an interface more enjoyable
Example: Adobe Acrobat provides ToolTips to clarify
the meaning of the command icons, as
well as a “How To...?” menu
through which the user can obtain
additional information.
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Pattern #20: Multi-Level HelpProviding multiple ways of accessing help information
facilitates the use of an application
Example: Microsoft Visual Studio provides VB2008 developers with numerous prompts and help screens for getting clarification on available methods, events, properties, and fields.