Chapter 5: User Actions and Controls

Chapter 5: User Actions and Controls

• User actions and controls are a crucial part of human-computer interaction.
• Entering information involves forms, dialogue boxes, and data input.
• Issues with similar layouts and alignment (e.g., different label lengths) exist.
• Logical layout and task analysis (chapter 15) shape information entry. Natural order is often top-to-bottom, left-to-right, depending on a culture.
• Keyboard entry tab order is also important.
• Understanding what is active and what is passive in the user interface is key.
• Knowing how to select, click, and type is important to understand the workflow.
• Style consistency aids navigation (e.g., underlined links).
• Standards for action icons and labels are necessary for clear communication (e.g. bolded text for current actions).

Affordances

• Affordances are psychological terms related to physical objects.
• Shape and size suggest actions (e.g., a mug handle suggests grasping).
• Cultural factors affect how objects are interacted with (e.g., buttons imply pushing).
• Screen objects, like button-like objects, imply mouse clicks.
• Physical likes suggest objects for physical interactions (e.g., clicking).
• Icons and buttons should properly reflect their intended function.

Presenting Information

• Purpose matters when presenting information. Understanding the needed information is essential.
• Appropriate sorting (e.g., column, numeric, alphabetic) and textual vs. graphic representation are crucial.
• Using techniques such as scatter plots and histograms when presenting information are important.
• Presentation principles are vital for effective communication. Interactive elements can enhance information presentation.

Aesthetics and Utility

• Aesthetics (e.g., pleasing design) and utility (e.g., functionality) can conflict when designing an interface.
• A pleasing aesthetic can increase user satisfaction and productivity.
• Mixed visual styles may be hard to distinguish, while clean designs might fail to differentiate enough.
• Backgrounds behind text could make the text hard to read, although it may look pleasing.
• Aesthetics and utility can be balanced to create effective designs.

Color and 3D

• Color and 3D effects can be used to create more engaging and informative displays, but they can be misapplied.
• Limited color palettes on older monitors can lead to misuse.
• Color blindness must be considered. Color use requires careful thought.
• Color needs to be used strategically to reinforce information.
• 3D can be used effectively to represent physical information and some graphs, but over-use should be avoided. 3D pie charts, 3D text in perspective could cause issues.

Bad Use of Color

• Overuse without proper reason (e.g., kid-oriented interfaces) negatively affects interface design.
• Color blindness needs to be considered for design.
• Poor use of contrast can harm user experience.
• Adjusting monitors to grey scale helps ascertain if the interface is readable despite color.

Across Countries and Cultures

• Localization and internationalization are important for global interface design.
• Changing interfaces for various cultures and languages is key.
• Symbols and icon choices should accommodate varied cultural backgrounds.
• Using a language-resource database instead of literal text improves localization.
• Design changes often relate to deeper aspects such as cultural assumptions, values, and symbols meanings across cultures.

Prototyping

• Iteration and prototyping are crucial parts of interface design.
• You rarely get an interface correct on the first try.
• Prototyping should include design, prototype building, evaluation, and re-design steps.
• Successful prototyping involves addressing issues and improving the interface in iterations for better functionality.
• Pitfalls in prototyping involve issues like insufficient initial design or failing to identify and fix design issues. Initial start-point and clarity on design issues needing improvement both contribute to proper prototyping.