Step-4 Develop System Menus and Navigation Schemes

Step-4 Develop System Menus and Navigation Schemes

Menus n n Listings of choices If properly designed, assist the user in developing a mental model of the system

Structures of Menus n n n n Single Menus Sequential Linear Menus Simultaneous Menus Hierarchical or Sequential Menus Connected Menus Event-trapping Menus See p. 309 (340)

Functions of Menus n n Navigation to a New Menu Execute an Action or Procedure Displaying Information Data or Parameter Input

Content of Menus n - Menu Context Verbal linkage Spatial linkage n Menu Title Choice Descriptions Completion Instructions - Multiple choice n n

Formatting of Menus n Display - Location On demand (except critical ones) n Presentation - - Easy to distinguish n - - Organization Minimize number of menu levels (Ex: for Web sites > two levels) Never require menus to be scrolled

Breadth vs. Depth n n n Advantages & Disadvantages # levels: 2 -3 # choices: 4 -8 Conclusion: People found resources faster in, and understood better, broader, shallow menu structures than narrow deep ones. Effective sub-grouping, and clear labels

MAXIM n The best journey is the one with the fewest steps.

Formatting of Menus (cont. ) n n Complexity (Simple & Complex menus) Item Arrangement - One column if possible Top-to-bottom Left-justify descriptions n Ordering - - Numeric order Textual list (seven or less) Alphabetic (long lists, no obvious pattern) Maintain consistency

Formatting of Menus (cont. ) n - Grouping Meaningful categories Otherwise (& >8 options), arbitrary visual groupings: - 4 -5 options - equal size n - Separate using: Wider spacing A thin ruled line

Formatting of Menus (cont. ) n - Line Separators Solid lines (groups) Dotted or dashed lines (subgroups) Extended lines (independent groups) Selection Support Menus - Adaptive menus (changeable) n - 90% -> Folded menus 31 -89% -> Split menus Traditional menus

Formatting of Menus (cont. ) n Menu Choice Descriptions - Word as a command to computer. Ex: Choose one: Save and exit Exit without saving Do you want to save and exit? Yes No