[cvs] [Wiki] changed: UserInterfaceDesign

[Chuck Hagenbuch]

chuck  Fri, 01 May 2009 14:10:54 -0400

Modified page: http://wiki.horde.org/UserInterfaceDesign
New Revision:  1.5
Change log:  bunch of ui redesign/revamp ideas/notes

@@ -65,4 +65,41 @@

  ++ Swimlanes
  http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?745
  # UX swimlanes outline a bird’s eye view of a story, scenario, or  
component for sponsors, designers, businesses, and engineers.
+
+++ Redesign Ideas
+
+Organization and Flow
+1 From the user's perspective, eliminate the concept of modules, and  
group functionality together by how it's used. By placing these  
grouped modules within tabs, for example, the interface can become  
focused only on the task at hand and downplay extraneous controls,  
dramatically simplifying the interface.
+2 Create smoother flows between related modules.
+3 Put frequently used tools close at hand. For example, let user add  
contacts from within the email screen?
+4 Eliminate clutter. Remove defunct modules from the interface, or,  
if for some reason they need to remain, sequester them.
+
+Visual Design
+6 Modernize (and standardize) the look-and-feel.
+7 Reconsider the use of iconography. Having an icon for every single  
module is overwhelming, and it’s difficult to make each icon  
memorable. Consider using icons much more sparingly.
+8 Increase the size of the type. Some type in the interface is really  
small — 10px or smaller. Larger type (if handled properly) will be  
easier to read and appear friendlier.
+9 Sweat the details. Taking time to carefully align form labels with  
their respective form fields, for example, conveys an image of quality  
and precision.
+12 Avoid overlapping modals.
+13 Add on-states to the navigation to make it easy for users to  
orient themselves.
+
+Interactivity and Behavior
+14 Anticipate the user’s first move. For example, on page load,  
automatically place the focus on the first form element on “create”  
pages when it’s a text field, instead of forcing the user to click  
into the field.
+15 Make it impossible for users to make errors. Validate forms before  
the user clicks “Save” to highlight errors or omitted fields, rather  
than after clicking. (For example, provide clear feedback and disable  
the Save button until the user has filled the required fields.)
+16 Make it easier to edit content. Instead of having the user click  
on an edit icon to the right of the items name, users should be able  
to click on the title itself.
+17 Place like controls in like positions. For example, sometimes  
pop-ups are closed with a “Close” link in the upper-right corner, and  
other times they are closed with  a “Cancel” button near the middle of  
the pop-up.
+
+
+Nomenclature
+21 Keep module names as straightforward as possible. The functions  
within the Control Panel interface should be as self-evident as  
possible, so consider names that are descriptive rather than clever.
+22 Better name for virtual folders/virtual addressbooks/etc - Smart  
Folders? ...
+
+
+23 Allow users to create daisy chains all at once, in a single flow,  
instead of forcing them to switch back and forth between modules
+24 Scale more gracefully as more items are created.
+
+Put frequently used tools at users fingertips. Don't make users  
switch modules to perform a regularly needed function
+
+25 Search all content with a single, global search box instead of  
having to use each module’s search function.
+26 Tag any item using the same, global taxonomy. Retrieve content  
more easily throughout the system by tagging any item.
+27 Make modules consistent. Default sorts should be consistent,  
searches should be consistent (some modules search slugs, some do  
not), modules should have the same component parts.