An interface is the point of communication between user and system, allowing for input to the system and feedback to the user.
9
votes
1answer
87 views
North American electrical outlet, why so sad?
I wasn't sure whether it was more appropriate to post here or rather on electronics SE, but please bear with me...
Why was the 120 VAC outlet and the pinout of the plugs shaped the way they are?
...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Is an “in-page survey” a good way of retrieving useful users opinions?
I'm thinking about implementing a different means of retrieving users' opinions about my company websites.
This is how I imagine this feature:
On every page of the websites, a non intrusive ...
-3
votes
0answers
32 views
Anyone know a free version of .NET tools like Infragistics? [closed]
I work with Infragistics in a .NET environment, but as we get more employees, we may want something with less licensing restrictions. can anyone please suggest some alternatives
Thanks in advance
3
votes
1answer
76 views
Difference between UI and Visual Design/Style Guide?
From looking at some of the style guide for web applications that are available, there is a distinction made between the visual (icons, colours, logos, etc) and UI (look and feel of user interface ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Java GUI - JLIST + Refresh
I need to create an interface which includes a list of events.
The events are saved into a Vector List and I need to be able to display a list of their 3 variables like this:
13/05/2003 Task 1 ...
0
votes
0answers
73 views
Managing users, roles and permissions [closed]
I'm designing an administrative interface to manage permissions. As of right now I have something along the lines of this:
The next step is to create the form for how roles are tied to specific ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
Shadows. Best practicies [closed]
Is there a golden rule to create attractive shadows for websites(Specifically accessible from desktop browsers)?
The reason I'm asking is that I have a perception that some shadows look better than ...
4
votes
1answer
61 views
How best to display multiple choices for multiple fields?
I have a tricky one. I need to let an IT administrator set the value for each field and assign that combination of values to an entity. (The following image shows a simplified example, where fields ...
4
votes
5answers
169 views
How can the mode of a car's transmission be made more clear?
In a car, if you press the accelerator it can do one of three things:
make the car go forward.
make the car go backward.
not move the car at all.
The result depends on what gear the car is in, but ...
3
votes
3answers
83 views
Is there a standard way to indicate a suggestive search (autocomplete) in a wireframe form?
I'm designing an interface, and I'm currently creating a wireframe to guide me before developing it. I know that a particular form will make suggestions, but if I were to, say, get another developer ...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
Clarifying the controls in “draft” mode
We have an application where pages are created/viewed. There is two modes for users of the application: live and draft. When the application is in draft mode, you can edit multiple changes and then ...
6
votes
2answers
74 views
Should the “Help” menu really be called Help?
Most of todays applications have a menu called Help as the last element in the menu bar. But many applications are using the Help menu as a general container for anything that does not fit into other ...
-2
votes
0answers
58 views
What should a System Icon look like? [closed]
I work for an enterprise software as the lead designer and am at a loss to find a good system icon ... the icon will be placed at every message/notification which is sent by the "system" eg. some one ...
2
votes
2answers
112 views
Measuring Keystroke Against Click Count
Currently working on bettering our internal tool/ticketing system's UI. We have several products - broken up by category, of course. Each product has an email template that a technician will wend in ...
0
votes
1answer
86 views
Categorizing user interface elements [duplicate]
I have seen lots of different ways to define and categorize user interface elements/components. In the process of writing a style guide, I am interested in whether the following categories cover the ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
How would you improve this search results interface? [closed]
I've been doing some research in successful UIs for search results and as a personal project I am trying to build one that is simple, yet elegant.
That has great interactions and a great experience.
...
0
votes
2answers
127 views
Is an accordion worse than a grid?
I am building an author site for myself, and would like to display, for each book, the cover image, the title and an enticing blurb, and links to (say) four other books that might be of interest.
...
1
vote
4answers
143 views
when is too much playfullness in interface / experience too much?
I think most of us know when an experience is too playful, but I'm talking about subtle interactions to delight the user.
I think it is too much when it prevents or postpones the user from reaching ...
4
votes
3answers
86 views
Improve display of date range inside a table
I have been taking a look at this post, but it is not exactly what I am looking for, plus I have hour and minutes and is inside a table.
My current table is this one (bigger image):
The problem I ...
3
votes
2answers
96 views
UI patterns for data composition
More specifically, I would like to create an interface which
Takes input from one or multiple sources.
Makes it possible to process on these inputs
Provides a way to capture the output.
One way I ...
8
votes
3answers
198 views
How to go about presenting a large family tree?
I'm currently developing a game, and one of the features involves breeding the creatures you collect.
Since it's a game, a large amount of promiscuity is to be expected, and individuals could ...
4
votes
3answers
159 views
What is this design layout interface called?
I have a general questions on the definition of a flow of highlighted images defining where you are in a web application flow.
I want to buy some template online but I dont know what this UX ...
3
votes
2answers
86 views
Best practice for switch with interchangeable on/off position?
We're making a hardware device with a reset button that needs to be activated when the device is unpowered.
As such, the button can not be a momentary press but needs to change position before being ...
9
votes
2answers
136 views
Making a signature field look like a physical signature box
I am making an app that involves a four-day schedule and a "signature" that certifies you are going to abide by the terms of the schedule. I would like to make the signature field look like a ...
10
votes
4answers
301 views
Another phrasing for the term “Directions” in this case?
Below is a short browser based linux simulator for training purposes. It basically starts off with a blank screen, and gives directions for the user to enter a linux command to do a given task. If the ...
6
votes
3answers
190 views
Are there names for patterns within UI styles?
Are there names or guides to classify similarities or reoccurring style patterns within UI? For example, Retro, Legal, etc.
Example of UI patterns used in login forms:
Indented outlines
...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
What are the desktop based Tools for UI work available today? [duplicate]
What are the tools available to a UI developer? I know and use Photoshop, Fireworks, Balsamiq. I just recently came across Pixelmator and I'm checking it out. What else is out there? Thanks.
0
votes
1answer
65 views
What is the best solution to visually showcase regional date comparisons
Currently, I have a bar graph that summarizes 3 regions based on a specific date range (eg: Jan 03, 2012 - Jan 31, 2012)
Each region is based statistically by a couple of factors, the main one being ...
1
vote
3answers
90 views
User interface for either/or text input [duplicate]
I have an either/or scenario for text input which I'd like to mock up as shown below. Any ideas how I can proceed with html/css (this should be responsive).
Edit :
Sorry for being unclear. Not sure ...
4
votes
3answers
55 views
How do you show that a feature can be selected individually or combined with another feature?
The user has 3 options/features to choose from, but here is the problem:
Each feature can be selected separately/on its own.
Feature A can be selected/combined with feature B.
Feature B can be ...
8
votes
3answers
252 views
Are there any special design guidelines for big touch screens (30–50 inch)?
I'm about to develop an application for a large touch screen (around 40″).
Now to my question, are there any special design guidelines for such a large screen? I have read Android/iOS/Windows RT ...
4
votes
1answer
79 views
How to study competitive/equivalent interfaces efficiently?
Before starting designing a new interface, I usually study equivalent/competitive UIs to come up with some ideas in terms of functionalities and layout.
I would like to conduct this kind of study in ...
0
votes
2answers
154 views
Drawing a chessboard with unicode characters [closed]
Wondering the best unicode characters to draw a chessboard... particularly the right combination of square and row/col delimiters (if any) to give a readable layout in a terminal window. Here's what ...
-3
votes
1answer
112 views
OS best user interface [closed]
Which Operating System has the best user interface and best user experience.
Is it Linux, Mac or Windows?
Do you know any statistics where user has answered to this question?
7
votes
3answers
153 views
“Activate” / “Enable” + “noun verbing” or simply “Verb noun”?
A popular chatting application has the global option "Enable buddy icon animation". Would this be better phrased as "Animate buddy icon" or not? And if so, is this a general rule? For example, ...
5
votes
4answers
185 views
When to use reversed/mirror arrow cursor?
Is there an established pattern for when to use a reversed (right-pointing) arrow? I most frequently notice it in Outlook on part--but not all--of messages in my inbox:
My Google-fu failed at finding ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
How to deal with recursive hierarchical tableviews?
There's a great function from the web that I want to reproduce in iOS and Android. I'm calling it a recursive tableview because I can't think of any other descriptive name.
For example, in a shopping ...
6
votes
5answers
198 views
Sorting tables after multiple columns
I want to add a sorting functionality to a table.
It should be able to be sorted after multiple columns.
A standard approach is something like this:
download bmml source – Wireframes ...
6
votes
1answer
131 views
Drop down list vs. clickable map
I'm working on a web tool that requires users to choose their region as a search filter. I'm trying to decide if it will be best to use a drop-down list (there will be 15 regions) or a clickable map ...
4
votes
2answers
129 views
What's the best way to navigate from between two screens in an App?
What's the best way to navigate from between two screens in an App?
I'm writing an app which essentially consists of 2 screens of content, each displaying different type of news. I'm having a really ...
2
votes
2answers
81 views
Does a text editor on a dark interface need to use a black page?
I'm doing a dark interface for a program that includes a text editor. While the program uses different shades of dark grey and blue, my main "page" is currently white. This is positive because:
The ...
3
votes
1answer
152 views
Multiple admin sections (scopes) inside one web application
Im developing web application with quite complex configuration UI.
It contains multiple configuration scopes, for example in global scope you can configure host setting, logging and also create ...
5
votes
3answers
132 views
Translating a UI from English to a language with different constructs
I am trying to translate an application with an English UI into Hindi.
The menu items such as Edit in English can be interpreted as either nouns or verbs, which doesn't seem to matter as much. While ...
0
votes
0answers
75 views
Direct manipulation vs indirect interfaces [closed]
So, should we update content and parameters via options on a main menu or by directly selecting the item to be adjusted? And are there any rules of thumb as to when you'd favour one method over the ...
5
votes
1answer
131 views
Transferring user context between multiple applications
I am currently maintaining an old legacy thick-client application with many individual screens and functions.
We have a strategy for migrating screens from the old technology (VB6) to a newer ...
0
votes
0answers
82 views
What to add to my website, in order to make it look more elegant [closed]
I hope I'm in right section of stackoverflow, if not, sorry.
So I'm not a UI or UX engineer, and I just need your opinion/ help to make my web page look more elegant.
So what you think I need to ...
7
votes
4answers
194 views
Where to place controls on a tree/list
I have a chronological list of items. The user can operate on these items with three actions.
So each row has three actions (or buttons for example).
My dilemma is thus:
Having three buttons on ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
Easiest way to have a user select a letter grade?
I have a report card form that I'm creating for customers to rate performance in several areas. Our old format was using radio buttons, each labeled A-F with one N/A option. The current idea from ...
8
votes
7answers
537 views
Conveying progress for a set of items each with 2 stages
I think I have an issue with the hierarchy of information in trying to convey progress to a user. On the dashboard of a non-profit dashboard I have the following option:
The organisation deal with ...
6
votes
2answers
217 views
UI simplicity vs complex requirements
I'm in the process of crafting a relatively complicated interface for a niche social networking website and I'm struggling to achieve a satisfying level of simplicity for the UI.
Given that "modern" ...
