[cvs] [Wiki] changed: UserInterface

[Chuck Hagenbuch]

chuck  Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:10:38 -0400

Modified page: http://wiki.horde.org/UserInterface
New Revision:  2.5
Change log:  clearinghouse for UI concerns

@@ -3,13 +3,74 @@
 + Horde UI
+
 This section is here to collect documentation on Horde's UI conventions,
suggestions for improvements, etc.
+
+++ Usability
+
+This is a place to collect thoughts, processes, suggestions etc. regarding
usability in Horde.
+
++++ Target Audience
+
+Which is the target audience of Horde software? Is there a consistent
audience at all?
+
+Attempt of a possible classification of users:
+
+* Beginners
+ * People who use Horde at their ISPs or organizations (e.g. universities)
+ * Use basic functionality: reading and writing mails, adding addresses
directly from emails, adding addresses directly to compose window
+ * Navigate with mouse
+
+* Intermediates
+ * People who use Horde at their companies or organizations
+ * Intranet
+ * Office replacement, groupware
+ * Need Horde to organize their data, streamline processes
+ * Navigate with keyboard and mouse
+
+* Power users
+ * People who use Horde as a desktop replacement
+ * Own server
+ * Horde developers
+ * Use edge features
+ * Want full control about behaviour and settings

 ++ Guidelines for Design of Horde Screens

-* [UserInterfaceChanges Change Suggestions ]
+++ Change Suggestions
+
++++ Navigation Related
+
+# Change in Navigation Structure
+
+[[http://www.geocities.com/bluedisclaimer/Horde/navigation-recom01.jpg
Navigation screenshot]]
+
+Navigation changes the moment user enters any of the sections in the
address book. In the example displayed below user has selected ?New contact?
option. For a new user this could be confusing. Also from a standardization
perspective clear demarcation should be made between primary, secondary and
tertiary navigations.
+
+**Recommendations, **
+a. Visual indicator separating the global and navigation for the Address
book functionality
+b. Division of the global navigation and contextual navigation (Navigation
for address book) into two navigational bands
+
+# Ambiguity in functionalities, Tree structure for navigation
+[[http://www.geocities.com/bluedisclaimer/Horde/navigation-recom02.jpg
Navigation screenshot]]
+The left navigation and the global navigation can cause ambiguity about
functionalities.
+For a new user it might be difficult to understand where to look for the
desired functionality. Very often users explore the interface  before using
any of the functionalities hence it desirable that there should be clear
demarcation between functionalities provided in the two navigation
structures to help in the learning process.
+
+The tree structure should be avoided for navigation purposes as this
requires the user to click and explore the items in the navigation.  Hence
some functionality may remain hidden from the user.

+**Recommendations, **
+a. Avoid repetition of functionalities in the two sets of navigation.
Develop a detailed information architecture based on tasks analysis.
+b. Tree navigation structure can be avoided.

+Note from a visitor: //There is however a certain difference in functions
the two different navigation blocks have. The horizontal top menu is easily
accessible and clear to use from within the application, (I.e. whenever the
application is shown on your screen), whereas the sidebar menu (navigation
tree) enables you to quickly jump from your Inbox (IMP) to New Task (Nag)
without unnecessary page reloads.//

++++ Control Related

+In the scenario where the Horde framework is supporting large mixed groups
of users; populating selection lists with all the "Users in the System"
presents an enormous list which can be difficult to navigate.

+**Recommendations, **
+a. Filter the user names by domains, using the vhost configuration in
Horde.  Then implement an auto-completion field as an alternative for long
select lists.
+b. Hack in a way to populate the lists by groups.

+++ Resources

+* [http://advogato.org/article/374.html How non-programmers use
documentation]
+* [http://www.research.ibm.com/remail/ IBM's Reinvented Email Client
Prototype]