Chapter 10 Creating an Efficient Effective Interface In this chapter, we have begun to tell the design and testing of user interfaces. First discuss the general user interface comes with Palm OS, then introduce the specific design principles and related methods made by Palm Computing, which make the interface more effective and practical, and finally we will tell the entire process and test of user interface and program design, because The user interface is not imagined, it is the result of an efficient process. Where is the design consideration start? For the PALM device, the design angle should be concentrated in practical, that is, how can it really meet the user's current needs. I often imagine if my user uses Palm OS on traffic congestion street (of course, I don't encourage the use of Palm when traffic is crowded, just a hypothesis). At this time, the user does not have time to observe how to get information, can only look at what is on the screen. So I think if it is easy to use in such an environment, it should not be a problem in other environments. Let's imagine the scene of traffic blocking. Some times, some need may be immediate. For example, I want to see someone tell me the next step to turn to the news. At this time, I want to find it and don't miss me; sometimes I want to find a phone number to call someone, these times It is best to find as soon as possible, otherwise they don't know what I want to tell them now. An example of using Palm in traffic blocked illustrates that the Palm OS must be easy to use. In order to do this, the application must follow a series of simple and easy-to-use principles that will be told below. The program should try to work like the user wants, in other words, the program looks indeed a "Palm OS" application. When the design interface, the information should make the user try to tab as possible, and should be as clear as possible when the information appears. If the user must answer information or enter data, it is also simple and intuitive as possible. Standing in the user's perspective should be considered at the user's perspective. In us, it should also stand at the perspective of the "Palm OS" user, not other perspectives such as PC or Mac or other device users. In other words, since the user chooses the use of Palm, it may also know the standard running method of the Palm OS program. Therefore, the user has the right to use other programs to use the same mode. Under such a concept, although we can prepare countless new and interesting programs, pay attention to it, just don't deny those who are already established. If your "creativity" makes the user can't find a simple variable that is defined by the Palm OS, it is definitely wrong. Standing on the user's point of view, first come out from your own mode: Don't design the interface easier to make the program; don't use any complex interface without users, no matter how cool it; you want to stand as an objective The problem is considered in the perspective. The Palm program is imagined to use the traffic blocked car, you can understand why the interface is easy to use, in fact, there are other types. Who is a typical user of Palm OS? Usually people are very busy. They still have many other things to do, they have been busy. We know that only these people can get great benefits from the use of Palm OS. Among these people, there will be their own personal computers, so they can believe that they are familiar with the computer. As far as the market survey, Palm users prefer technology or technically little gadgets, so they will spend a lot of time to consider technical issues. So it is possible that they will think how the app is modified, and it can change to them. You can get good design experience from some popular Palm OS applications. However, you will find that in the examples in this book, the interface is relatively poor. This is because my purpose is to describe the internal technology of Palm OS, not for a user.
When you look at some other procedures that tell the design ideas, pay attention to whether the procedure is popular. If the user doesn't like to use a cool gadget in such a program, then they will not use these things in your program. In addition, you also care about how they deal with the user's problem you want, so you can use their handling methods to solve your own problems. Easy to use is everything that everyone is hoped by people who are traffic jams hope to have the latest fastest road information, maybe you will have an exceptional idea, but what else can you be outside the whirlpool? Simple importance can be seen, I think that high efficiency is the highest interest of users. But what is efficient? For me, efficiency means that you can get everything you need for your hand, in particular, my experience in efficiency is to include many small things in your entire design, these Trivial things are roughly: ◆ Logical, easy programming process ◆ Detailed interface, make information displayed in very intuitive ways ◆ For the timely and uncomfortable use of visual design components, you can more easy to use click (TAP) Factors I have mentioned above "The less the number of hits", but how do you understand this sentence? If you analyze standard Palm OS applications, you will find that they need standardized operations to be implemented as follows. ◆ 0 to 3 clicks to view the information, depending on the frequency ◆ 0 to 1 click, start entering the new record ◆ 0 to 3 clicks to edit the existing record ◆ 3 times click to delete record, now It seems that you can already consider clear our goals. Obviously, in addition to those least obvious information, we have almost all clicks on three clicks, or if it is less than three times. Delete use three clicks is acceptable. Adding a record should be as fast as possible, if possible, no need to click or not. At the same time, it is precisely because of the importance of clicking on the number of factors, the so-called clicking factors must be considered in the future interface design. Obviously, the more often used, and we should try to give it the number of clicks, usually, 0 times or 1 time. For most applications, "observation screen details" and "delete record" operations are less than "browsing record" and "add record", so the former can have a slightly click more than the latter . Of course, this principle is not commonly used, especially for the same use, but it is hidden behind the menu, and if possible, the number of clicks of the general operation should be within three times. The principle of "seven" now we can quantify the analysis, so that the interface does not appear to make confusion, and how much control can be handled on a screen. A large number of psychology believes that people are generally easily accepted to appear seven controls on one screen. The meaning of "left and right" is to depend on the complexity of the control or engineering, so may we only consider using three controls, but if the project is very complicated. The number of controls can also be increased to nine. Screen Considering Palm's screen device is very friendly for 160 * 160 pixels, but also use it carefully. If you are used to using a larger PC screen, you have to change your habits, and adapt to the use of a little bit, change your habit you like to write all the things you want to use. In most cases, you may only see black and white screens. There are only four grayscale for Palm III and above. This means that your user interface design can no longer help accurate grayscale levels, and cannot count on the high brightness value to obtain information. At a given limited and well-readable space, this requires pre-arrangement of the form of the form.
Consider the following: ◆ Is it useful for the user? ◆ Is the content user to be easily accepted? ◆ Is the content user to see if the user can easily see? ◆ Is it too confusing on a simple application? In other words, are each content to be placed at the right position of the screen? ◆ What is common or not commonly used? (If you are not used, you can consider a part of the number of click times, so you can guarantee that the common interface is not overcharge and affecting the visual effect.) You can make the application design of the PC becomes one Piles of empty houses, and Palm applications are like to put the debris in a small cabin. When you plan this small ship cabin, you must first consider the upcoming sailing. The key is to check if the items that are ready to be carried are all, and you should carefully consider where these items can make it easier to discover and use. Similarly, in the Palm application, there is no large space to place a lot of information you might want to use, so it is necessary to carefully consider which information is most common, those can be completely abandoned. Next, the loading of various information must meet the logic and the number of clicks of clicks, so it can be easily applicable. The importance of space is a good idea to place as many blank spaces around important information. This can make important parts more conspicuous and easy to find. In the Palm screen, this is really important, it makes your program availability greatly. You may be very hoped to place information in all possible places, and users can easily find them, but note that Palm screen is not very large, especially the kind of early low contrast mode, the interface is very blurred. We hope to bring everything they need by properly placing users, rather than letting them find what they need in viewing can be seen. Although human eyes can find very little detail. But in order to protect your eyes, it is also best to make the control or the like to a line and are evenly distributed. At the same time, pay attention to keep the data input field you design to be left to stand align, or right, don't make both, it seems to be very awkward. These seem small things, but their impact on the visual of the application is not small. If you want to avoid excessive content on the screen as mentioned above, you can use the remaining space to fill the space between the items, thereby ending the entire project, so that the application is readable for users. It's much better. Sometimes it is not easy to make the position of the control of the control over exactly, in this case, you must believe that you and your friends' eyes, tell you the answer with your eyes, how to arrange the position of the control. The input pen is also an important way to enter a pen is also an important way to enter, but if the design of the program often uses the keyboard, and if the user is required to enter the text, then it is necessary to change the habit. In Palm OS, the input text is the last way. The last thing we want users to do is to squeeze a channel in a crowded road condition, which can be used to enter text using a list option or select button. In some places where you must enter text, you can use a clear form to display its details so that users can view information by one or two clicks. The input pen strike and the PC / MAC mouse click event similar, which is only that you can no longer ask users to observe what they need through excessive clicks. Keep in mind such a sentence at any time, click on the nippled disk input, the less you click. Double-click is a good idea, however, if you consider using the pop-up menu to select actions, the number of clicks is the same, but the pop-up menu looks more intuitive. The ideal case is not using the input pen.
After all, there is often something that is close to the conflict and exit under crowded roads, and enter the pen to the ground and roll to the seat. Can't find it. then what should we do? Your application's control should have a certain size, allowing people to finger to click on it. Note that most of the built-in applications can be used without inputting a pen. The processor considers the Palm system not designed with a computer. Don't make mistakes, what it can do is far better than other systems, mainly due to the efficiency of Palm OS, but it is not designed for high load operations. However, I can add an interface to make the system better run. Before you want to make some calculations, consider whether your users really need these computing; as for the screen display and mouse click, these are hardly problematic in the PC, but in the "small cabin", any calculations will make Deceleration. A good example I can think of using this method is the application of spending; a sensible designer will not consider the total cost, although this is easy. Only after you reach the end point, they will consider the total cost of the way, and the total cost of the PC is also the same compared to the toll of the traveler. Designers thus avoided the application to run slow down. Calculating the calculation is universally reason, like this in our Contacts program, may be due to the conversion of the Palm OS internal date or from time format to the text format. One way to overcome similar issues is to increase storage formats, such as stored their digital format while using the time or date of the record in the record. Design principles We have discussed the general principles of Palm system design, and the specific principles can be further described below. In this section, we first discuss the design principles of the general use of Palm OS applications today. We are divided into two main contents. First, the principle must follow the part of it. The second is some suggestions. The edit box, handwriting area, and clipboard carefully check allows users to enter data. It is important. In addition, it is also important to coherence and compatibility with other applications. For example, don't lose this user principles because learning handwriting input makes some users spend a lot of time. ◆ For editable edit box, ensure standard Edit menu (cut, copy, paste, etc.) and the corresponding shortcuts can be obtained. ◆ Allow users to copy or cut data from your application. If the user does not perform the next copy or cut, you have to make sure that the content placed in the shear board is complete. ◆ No matter where handwritten input, make sure you can get the help of your handwritten input through the menu or shortcut. ◆ If the handwriting input can be used on a specific form, arrange a switching indicator in the lower right corner of the form. On these forms, don't use it to use it on the lower right corner. ◆ If handwriting input is used on the form, you need to support handwritten input browsing (ie, to the top or down, the next record is equal to the next record) ◆ For the writable edit box, you should keep your handwritten input, do not just apply the keyboard. ◆ If an edit box has focus, you should always be able to call the keyboard operation by menu or shortcut. ◆ Do not put anything on the clipboard in the case of the user, do not destroy the content it above when you don't get the clipboard. ◆ Make sure that the edit box is selected when you are selected. ◆ Ensure that there is an error prompt sound when there is an error in the menu selection or shortcut. For example, the replication option is pressed when no content is selected. ◆ Make sure not to enter the data that is missing and does not meet the requirements. Suggested ◆ Typically, in the case where there is no requirement, the focus is set on the edit box in the upper left corner. ◆ Don't pop up a menu error or shortcut error warning, it is enough to use an error sound prompt. ◆ Use handwritten input to enhance the smoothness of your application where users need. Menu If you use a large number of menus in your application, it is best to use the standard design principles recommended by Palm OS.
The menu is especially important in the application because of its exquisite structure and coherence. If you replace it with other appearances, you may be shocked by users. Principle ◆ Do not make unfamable menu items or their UI controls. Remove them directly or hide. ◆ Multi-use menu shortcuts, less use "about". ◆ Make sure the standard menu - edit, option, record - and other menu items are shown in Figure 10-1. Recommendation ◆ Set shortcuts for each menu option. ◆ Unless the menu operation failed, the warning prompt is given to the menu error. ◆ Palm3.0 and higher version support flashing feature, pay attention to add a flash option and shortcut to the menu. Buttons and controls follow the principles of the following, it will reduce a lot of trouble for you when designing the form. Principle ◆ Do not change the shape of the mesh icon such as HOME, MENU, Find, etc .; ◆ Do not cover the cataher's shortcut button with an application that is not related to the calculator function. ◆ If you want to use a data book, an address book, to do items and memo buttons in your system, pay attention to restore them to the original arrangement order after exiting. ◆ Try the button to the bottom of the screen in the form. ◆ At least two pixels are left between at least two pixels between the text and buttons. Recommendation ◆ If there is more than one button on the form, the most important button is placed in the lower left corner of the form. Under normal circumstances, some of you are easily forgotten when designing, if you are using the app, you may not forget it. Principle ◆ When the date, time, numbers and weeks of the application changes, the system should make a corresponding change. ◆ If you want to use the classification, you can only build up to 15 categories. ◆ If your program supports private information, then in some Security applications, these private records should be hidden if hidden is selected. ◆ Prepare the corresponding code so that your application supports global queries. ◆ Provide your own About. ◆ If possible, when the application restarts, it should return to the previous interface. ◆ Make your app and all databases have the same and unique ID number. ◆ It is best to make your application have backup and rearrangements. ◆ When opening, switching, and looking for records, your application should not be much slower than the built-in application. ◆ Create a small icon for your app. Recommendation ◆ When working properly, don't always stay on the mode (MODAL) form. Because when the user stays on the mode form, Palm cannot pop up a warning or a alarm of the battery. In the case where the user wants to modify some things, then the mode form can be considered. ◆ Do not nested in the three floors of the form. ◆ Try to use the user familiar with the user as much as possible. ◆ There is no special requirement or control in the user to try to use some traditional controls in the case of speed and clarity. ◆ Provide help in the Mode Program dialog. The layout of the form will follow the following simple principles, which will make your form interface meet the standard form interface requirements. Principle ◆ All main forms should be full of screens. ◆ Each form should have a title bar, and the form name should be included in the title bar or the main information of this form. ◆ Allegate all the forms to be able to press your fingers without requiring the input pen. ◆ The mode form should occupy the entire width and is aligned with the bottom of the screen. ◆ The layout of the control on the non-mode form is shown in Figure 10-2. ◆ The layout of the control on the mode form is shown in Figure 10-3. ◆ For non-mode forms, it should take the entire screen, do not leave a gap between the control and the edge of the screen. ◆ For mode forms, there should be at least three pixels at least between controls and screen edges. ◆ The labels and controls of different groups on the form should be emissively emissions, do not design a form of forms, and make the label and right alignment. Recommendation ◆ Place the frequently used controls in the upper left corner of the form, and the controls that are not used are placed in the lower right corner. However, the button cannot be arranged so, and the button should be aligned in the bottom of the form. In principle, users should make users feel that they are watching a page.
If you are not accustomed to the user design interface from left to right, you are designed for the interface. ◆ Only the information you need is displayed on the screen. Don't put the user not very much about some information messages. Instead, some related information you want to get, focus on another form. In this way, if you want to see, you can read a button to read, which is much better than the messy placed in the same form. ◆ To use tags as much as possible, so it is more convenient for users. Operational Process In this section, let's discuss a good design process for Palm. Palm's operational processes are closely related to the design of the buttons discussed earlier. The design is a good interface, you should let users don't have to press a lot of buttons in many applications. For some more in a hurry, he only needs to click the button, and you can use the application to use the application. As shown in Figure 10-4: Classification If your system needs to process database records, it is necessary to divide these records 15 or less than 15 groups. You can consider using built-in database classification to complete this work. In this case, as we see in the previous chapter, it is not only convenient to Palm users, but also very fast and simple. If you need to support the classification in your system, you should display the pop-up menu so that your user displays the classification information. This pop-up menu is preferably placed on the upper right corner of the screen, tightly on the title of the form. When a form in the system is active, if you press the Hard Case button to press New Time to automatically scroll during the category. If you want to use classification, it is recommended to use this method. When a form is open, the run flag is also prompting you, the application is already active, then you should jump to the next classification in the list. Scroll in a Palm operating system, usually there are three forms of scrolling: repetitive buttons, scroll bars, rising and dropping buttons (UP and Down Buttons). In general, the up and down button on the screen should move up and down, and the hardware is pressing the button up or down one page. If you want to use a pen to position, the scroll bar is more easily used. When you design a Palm system, you must carefully consider what the user wants this system, that is, what users do in this system in this system. Here, there is an example when a person in Palm Computing is created by the application of a telephone list, and he mainly considers what kind of operation is to do with the phone list, such as adding a new record, editing record, Delete records and query records of these databases commonly used. Then he will think more, it is the function user to use more, very clear, in the telephone list application, the query phone list is more, and the user is used more, while he It will also be considered that the deleted telephone record is a relatively small function, so he hides the deleted record on the sub screen behind the edit screen. In this case, we get a design shown in Figure 10-4, the arrows in the figure indicate the switching transfer between the screen, and the box represents the screen. Please note that this process is not the same as some of the processes of some design on your computer. On your computer, browse is mainly implemented by menu. The menu on Palm is mainly used to complete some uncommon features (for example The keyboard, shear, copy, paste, parameter selection, respect to the system is used, not mainly for the purpose of browsing. The browsing feature in Palm is mainly implemented by the button on the screen. From the perspective of the Palm user, this way is faster (just pressing very little buttons) and clearer (buttons are always on the screen).
