Interface Flashcards
WIMP
Windows
Icons
Menus
Pointers
(contemporary GUIs)
Window Managers
- are responsible for a common look-and-feel
- This look-and-feel is either embedded into the operating system (windows, macOS) or kept separate (unix)
- most windowing systems use standardized windows that look similar and behave consistently
Window arrangement
- tiled windows afford drag-and-drop methods
- overlapping windows use screen real estate efficiently, but they can become overwhelming
- cascading windows use screen real estate efficiently and can be used to create visual organization
- maximized windows are visually less complex, but they require easy navigation methods to get from window to window
The reading process
- saccades : quick, jerky movements, about 8-10 letters
- fixations : Intermittent pauses on areas of interest
Visual and cognitive processing occurs during fixation, but not during saccades.
experienced readers recognize word shapes
single letters are simpler identifiable if they are in uppercase
we read extended text passages more quickly in lowercase than uppercase - more distinctive shapes
Using text in Interaction Design - Commentary
Text that informs - the most common being help text
- contextual help: provides immediate assistance to users without requiring them to leave the context in which they are working, such as pop-up menus
- procedural help: provides the steps necessary for carrying out a task
- Reference help: serves as an online reference book
- conceptual help: provides background information, feature overviews, or processes
Using text in Interaction Design - Instrumental
Text that does work - controls
the control’s function and its label are viewed as one entity
- buttons
- checkboxes
- radio buttons
- icons
- hyperlinks
using text - design issues
legibility:
* age, context - size, contrast, etc
readability :
*comprehension is affected by: line length, line spacing, formatting, marin width, scrolling, grammar, semantics, syntax
physical factors
- font size (!!)
- line length
- margin width
- vertical line spacing
- alignment
- contrast
- scrolling versus paging
fonts
serif fonts :
guide the reader. suitable for long text lines
non-serif fonts: less complex to recognize. more suitable for cases where fast recognition is important
cursive: similar to hand written text. requires high-resolution screens
There are good and cheap fonts - it’s a science
Information Architecture
The information architecture structures the presented information, thus influencing the conceptualization of the user
Ontologies define the concept of information
how we group things together / classify them is the concern of taxonomy
Information should be presented consistently, but we know that in practice several taxonomies can coexist
two general ways for structuring information
Coarse-grained
- the general information structure provides many objects to be selected
- this reduces the number of steps until you reach the object in question
Fine-grained
* there are fine-grained objects, that are reached through a sophisticated, often multi-step process
how to build information structure
Volatility
* select an ontology that stays stable
Size
* decide if moving in an object is more suitable that moving between objects
Conceptual / physical mapping
* information must be suitable to all input output devices
Topology
- determines how easy it is to move through information space
- distance: number of clicks needed for navigation
- direction: plays a role for navigation
Interaction styles
- command line
- menu-based interface
- form fill-in
- question and answer
- direct manipulation / metaphors
- web navigation
- three-dimensional environments
- zoomable interface
- natural language
interaction styles - command line
- you need to recall information, not recognize
- we need a very good concept of use
- steep learning curve, thus better for expert users
- repetition of tasks is simpler
- complexity can be handled easy through concatenation. In general faster for complex tasks.
- higher error rate, higher cognitive load
interaction styles - Menu based interface
- functions can be recognized, position / structure recalled
- menus may be graphical or textual
- much better for seldom used functions, self explanatory
- range of possible options shown : constraints
Menu types:
- single
- sequential
- hierarchical
- network / meshed
interaction styles - form fill-in
- special for gather strings of information
- linear, not related to navigation
- important:
- users must know how long the form will be and where he is
- errors are problematic, annoy the user
- input formats may vary
