The Skeleton Plane

Question 0

There are 3 parts of the skeleton plane… What are they?

Answer 0

Interface design, navigation design, interface design

Question 1

If the structure plane defines how the product will work, skeleton plane defines

Answer 1

The form the functionality will take

Question 2

Define interface design

Answer 2

The realm of buttons, fields and other interface components - it allows users to do things

Question 3

Define navigation design

Answer 3

The specialized form of interface design pertaining to presenting information spaces - it allows users to go places

Question 4

Define information design

Answer 4

The presentation of information for effective communication - communicating ideas to the user

Question 5

It’s important to separate the three types of design covered here so we can

Answer 5

Tell the difference between different types of problems and later tell if we’ve solved them

Question 6

You don’t have to slavishly follow conventions, but if you deviate you

Answer 6

Should have good reason

Question 7

Interface designs dealing with the same conceptual models in your product should be

Answer 7

Consistent.

Question 8

Metaphors can be useful if there specific enough, sometimes, but you should be cautious with their use. Give an example of a good and bad metaphor

Answer 8

Good: icon of a phone book to represent a phone directory.

Bad: picture of a coffee shop to represent chat area

Question 9

What is interface design all about?

Answer 9

Selecting the right interface elements for a task the user is trying to accomplish and arranging them on the screen in a way that is easy to understand and use

Question 10

What makes for a successful interface?

Answer 10

The user immediately notices the important stuff - the stuff required for the action they’re most likely to take

Question 11

What three goals must navigation design accomplish on any site

Answer 11

Must provide users with a means to get from one screen to another… Not every page can link to every other page

Navigation design must communicate the relationship between the elements it contains

Third, navigation design should communicate the relationship between itself and the page the user is currently viewing

Question 12

Name and describe all the different navigational systems

Answer 12

Global navigation - provides access to broad sweep of entire site - example: navigation bars in header

Local navigation - access to nearby pages, aka parents, children and siblings

Supplementary navigation - shortcuts to related content… Sort of like how searching by red shirts versus expensive shirts is implemented

Contextual navigation - inline links, hyperlinks. Often misutilized.

Courtesy navigation - provides access to stuff users don’t regularly need… Links to contact info, feedback forms, etc.

Question 13

What are remote navigation tools?

Answer 13

Navigational tools not embedded in the structure of the page that stand apart from the rest of the content and functionality of the site.

Question 14

What is a site map?

Answer 14

site map is a common remote navigation tool that gives users a concise, one- page snapshot of the overall site architecture.

They usually show just top level pages and second level pages indented beneath them

Question 15

What is an index in a website? When is it useful?

Answer 15

A big list of topics on the site, similar to an index on the back of a book. Good for sites with a diverse range of topics.

Question 16

What does information design come down to?

Answer 16

information design comes down to making decisions about how to present information so that people can use it or understand it more easily.

It can be visual (choosing an icon)
It can be about grouping and arranging (name>job title > organization > street address)

Question 17

What is the key to information design?

Answer 17

To group and arrange the information in a way that supports how the users think and supports their goals. It’s like micro-level IA

Question 18

Anytime the system has to give users info for them to use it that’s a ….. Why?

Answer 18

Information design problem.. Users won’t read stuff!

Question 19

What is wayfinding?

Answer 19

Helping users understand where they are and where they can go.

Question 20

What parts of design are concerned with wayfinding? How?

Answer 20

Information design - non navigational components of the site such as color coding, icons, typography and etc.

navigation design - don’t just provide access to different areas of the site, communicate those choices clearly

Question 21

A wireframe is what

Answer 21

A barebones depiction of all the elements on a page and how they fit together encompassing the navigation, interface and info design supporting these AND info design of the content itself

Question 22

Any wireframe will probably need these components

Answer 22

Global nav
Wayfinding cues
Courtesy nav
Local nav
Supplementary nav
Content

Question 23

Who will use the wireframe?

Answer 23

Almost everyone involved in the development of the product… Visuals, strategy and so on

Question 24

What is the real value of wire frames?

Answer 24

The value of wireframes is the way they integrate all three elements of the structure plane:

interface design, through the arrangement and selection of interface elements;

navigation design, through the identification and definition of core navigational systems;

and information design, through the placement and prioritization of informational components.

Question 25

If the skeleton plane deals with logical arrangements, the surface plane deals with..

Answer 25

Sensory design and presentation of the elements that make up skeleton