Difference between revisions of "User Experience/Grand Concept/GUI"
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== Intro == | == Intro == | ||
| − | Most of the GUI is based on archaic concepts. Many new developments in the field can radically improve user's experience. Special emphasis should be put | + | Most of the GUI is based on archaic concepts. Many new developments in the field can radically improve user's experience. Special emphasis should be put into the new web technologies, especially with regards to interactivity and functionality. |
=== Downside of Existing GUI === | === Downside of Existing GUI === | ||
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* many areas are badly organized, making the dialog poorly functional, instead of organizing the dialog into '''functional areas''' | * many areas are badly organized, making the dialog poorly functional, instead of organizing the dialog into '''functional areas''' | ||
** often used features should be '''grouped together''' | ** often used features should be '''grouped together''' | ||
| − | * dialogs are '''monochrome''', although the human being has a '''color vision''' (see [[#Colour_Vision|Colour Vision]] | + | * dialogs are '''monochrome''', although the human being has a '''color vision''' (see [[#Colour_Vision|Colour Vision]]) |
| + | ** the human eye is most sensitive to the colour '''green''' | ||
=== Colour Vision === | === Colour Vision === | ||
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The human eye is adapted to colour vision. It is therefore strange that so many programs use a monochrome GUI. | The human eye is adapted to colour vision. It is therefore strange that so many programs use a monochrome GUI. | ||
| − | While it is true, that colour blindness can impede optimal viewing of a | + | While it is true, that '''colour blindness''' can impede optimal viewing of a coloured GUI, there are some elements that need to be discussed: |
* [http://www.tiresias.org/guidelines/colour_blindness.htm red-green colour blindness] is the most frequent form, affecting ~4% of males (different values for different populations and an order of magnitude less in women) | * [http://www.tiresias.org/guidelines/colour_blindness.htm red-green colour blindness] is the most frequent form, affecting ~4% of males (different values for different populations and an order of magnitude less in women) | ||
* there are many other forms of colour blindness, including any of the 3 basic colours and any combination thereof (although less often) | * there are many other forms of colour blindness, including any of the 3 basic colours and any combination thereof (although less often) | ||
| − | * Vitamin A deficiency giving poor vision in the dark | + | * Vitamin A deficiency: |
| + | ** giving poor vision in the dark (poor ''monochromatic vision'') | ||
| + | ** probably quite often encountered in developing nations | ||
| + | * the human eye is most '''sensitive to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photopic_vision colour green]''' (for people without a ''green''-blindness) | ||
| + | * colour vision is also affected by the brightness: in a dim environment, human vision will behave monochromatically (see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic_vision scotopic vision] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Why a monochrome GUI? | ||
| + | Obviously, one size fits it all cannot be applied in this situation, but why limit the GUI to a monochrome interface, when the vision of >90% of people is best suited for colour vision, especially for the colour green. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Therefore, it is wise to offer alternative GUIs: | ||
| + | * a monochrome version for colour-blind people | ||
| + | * a monochrome high-contrast version | ||
| + | * colour version: using a lot of red and green | ||
| + | * colour high-contrast version | ||
| + | * option to customize | ||
== Menus == | == Menus == | ||
Revision as of 20:46, 16 January 2008
Contents
Radical new GUI Designs
- Improving the GUI
- STILL A LOT TO DO/WRITE
Intro
Most of the GUI is based on archaic concepts. Many new developments in the field can radically improve user's experience. Special emphasis should be put into the new web technologies, especially with regards to interactivity and functionality.
Downside of Existing GUI
- many functions are non-intuitive
- poor interactivity
- many prominent functions/buttons/menus are rarely used or useless (see Useless GUI Elements)
- much wasted space, especially in dialogs
- many areas are badly organized, making the dialog poorly functional, instead of organizing the dialog into functional areas
- often used features should be grouped together
- dialogs are monochrome, although the human being has a color vision (see Colour Vision)
- the human eye is most sensitive to the colour green
Colour Vision
The human eye is adapted to colour vision. It is therefore strange that so many programs use a monochrome GUI.
While it is true, that colour blindness can impede optimal viewing of a coloured GUI, there are some elements that need to be discussed:
- red-green colour blindness is the most frequent form, affecting ~4% of males (different values for different populations and an order of magnitude less in women)
- there are many other forms of colour blindness, including any of the 3 basic colours and any combination thereof (although less often)
- Vitamin A deficiency:
- giving poor vision in the dark (poor monochromatic vision)
- probably quite often encountered in developing nations
- the human eye is most sensitive to the colour green (for people without a green-blindness)
- colour vision is also affected by the brightness: in a dim environment, human vision will behave monochromatically (see scotopic vision
- Why a monochrome GUI?
Obviously, one size fits it all cannot be applied in this situation, but why limit the GUI to a monochrome interface, when the vision of >90% of people is best suited for colour vision, especially for the colour green.
Therefore, it is wise to offer alternative GUIs:
- a monochrome version for colour-blind people
- a monochrome high-contrast version
- colour version: using a lot of red and green
- colour high-contrast version
- option to customize
Menus
Toolbars
Dialogs
Current dialogs are based really on old concepts. Therefore:
- much space is wasted (dead space)
- user clicks only on very small areas of the dialog and everything else just fills the area
- impaired users find it difficult to click on a very small button/item
- visually impaired users have difficulty viewing some of these small elements inside the dialog
