A faceted search system responds to a query by returning a set of documents intended to match the search terms, and also provides a set of facets that offer the user directions for query refinement. This faceted search approach, however, does not specify how those two sets (the results and the facets) should be presented to the user. An application may choose to present both sets in the same view or may initially present only one set, that is, the results or the facets.
Is there an optimal way to make these choices? The short answer is no: different applications and user needs motivate different design choices. What we can do, however, is enumerate a few options and discuss their relative merits.
Front End Concerns When Implementing Faceted Search - Part 1
Front End Concerns When Implementing Faceted Search - Part 2
Update (Feb 11, 2010): New Android GUI PSD v. 2.0
Photoshop file with elements of Android GUI. You can use Android GUI PSD for all of your projects. It was made to help open-source community with Android applications mock-ups.
- More resizable phone illustration
- More basic screens
Android GUI PSD Vector Kit V 2.0
Android GUI Starter Kit is a set that comes with several button elements as well as different interface options for Android GUI. Android GUI PSD is based on elements of Android 1.5 GUI and was made to help the open-source community with Android applications mock-ups. Most of the elements and phone illustration are made in vector path so they are easily resizable. For text, Android Sans was used.
Android GUI PSD Vector Kit V1.0
Abstract
The work is devoted to a problem of search of metaphors for interactive systems and systems based on Virtual Reality (VR) environments. The analysis of magic fairy tales as a source of metaphors for interface and virtual reality is offered. Some results of design process based on magic metaphors are considered.
Conclusions
Our preliminary research shows the applicability of “magic” metaphors for tasks in the interactive systems and systems basing on virtual reality environments. For example, the search of metaphors of moving in virtual environments may be needed magic transportation techniques, such as teleports and flights of various types (the flying carpet, the flying ship, Roc, a winged horse). And metaphors of intellectual agents-informants may be based on magic means of navigation.
Magic Fairy Tales as Source for Interface Metaphors
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Cooper created an interaction design methodology known as Goal-Directed Design. Their methodology identifies the goals and behaviors of users and directly translates them into the design. UIE’s Christine Perfetti recently had the chance to talk with Kim Goodwin , VP Design & General Manager at Cooper (www.cooper.com), about Goal-Directed Design and personas.
Goal-Directed Design: An Interview with Kim Goodwin
The icons or baby faces used as part of user interface have now turned into a major aspect of product branding. With powerful computers, enhanced graphics capabilities, advanced tools for illustration, and professionals to advocate rich user experience, icon design has become more important and complex than ever before! Windows Vista has raised the standard of quality icons even higher. An interface design project forced the author to think about ’style’ in icon design.
What are the possible ways to overcome problems related to style of icons?
- Create sample icons which are representative of the complexity and overall range of icons required for the project. These icons should be best rendered and acceptable in terms of desired quality and style.
- Define style guidelines (all attributes shown above as applicable) based on sample icon designs.
- Sensitize the entire design team to understand the style sensitive attributes of icon design. Help them notice and feel each attribute of the style.
- Select the designers whose style of designing/rendering is naturally similar.
- Lead designer(s) to sketch and compose all icons before they get rendered.
- Lead designer to monitor and guide the rendering (This is similar to the model of key animators and in-between artists followed in animation field).
- Review the stylistic aspects as per the guidelines.
- Ask users / designers / developers to identify the misfit icons in terms of style.
Proper definition of style attributes can be helpful in evaluating the consistency of style.
- Refine
Beware of Style in Icon Design
Season of Usability is a series of sponsored student projects to encourage students of usability, user-interface design, and interaction design to get involved with Free/Libre/Open-Source Software (FLOSS).
During a 3 month collaboration, students work closely together with key developers from FLOSS software projects to improve the use experience of a FLOSS application.
Season of Usability
The defining characteristic of a password field is that it abstracts text as dots. While the intention of this behavior is understandable (it makes users feel secure and protects from prying eyes), the unintended effect is that it creates a usability problem. Users can’t tell if they’ve entered a password incorrectly until after the site’s validation informs them. It’s like typing with your eyes closed.
The author describes and provides demonstrations to three alternate methods to approaching password confirmation.
Confirming Passwords Is Annoying: Is There a Better Way?
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OK–Cancel or Cancel–OK?
By Jakob Nielsen
Summary
Should the OK button come before or after the Cancel button? Following platform conventions is more important than suboptimizing an individual dialog box
OK–Cancel or Cancel–OK?
OK and Cancel Buttons- What’s the Right Order?
By Tom Tullis
Takeaways
- Avoid using grouped buttons labelled as “OK” and “Cancel” on the web. There’s too great a chance that your users may have a different expectation from yours about which button is which. If they’re in a hurry, they might accidentally choose the wrong button.
- It’s probably better to use buttons that are visually separated.
- With the buttons visually separated, putting the action to continue (e.g., OK, Save, Submit, etc) on the right is more likely to match your users’ expectations.
OK and Cancel Buttons- What’s the Right Order?
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Interfaces Magazine