A Create/Edit Dialog with a Save/Cancel button makes sense but a Delete Dialog not

Question

I am struggling with the design of my web application.

I am showing a dialog for my Create/Edit item views:

Thats fine so far for the Edit/Create view.

But how should the dialog look when the user wants to delete some items?

I really want to show the delete item stuff in a dialog, because it does not fit at all into my main layout.

What do you think about the Delete organisation unit dialog?

What do you expect when an item is selected and you press the delete button?

:

What would you expect now when the delete button is pressed and some units are selected for deletion? Should the dialog close or not? and WHY ?

Answer 1

From your layout screen I assume one can select multiple items and press delete. On doing so, if the dialog still remains open, probably a Close button would make more sense than cancel. Otherwise Cancel is just fine.

Also, have you considered moving all cancel/close to a window close layout (window action control on top right on Windows and top left on Mac)? This is the way going forward in most applications as this saves space, keeps the UI less cluttered and utilizes platform default standards to close a dialog/window.

Answer 2

I think Delete is a high risk operation, so do not discard warning because you try to save place or make the UI clear.

My opinion is if the delete object is not very important(like it doesn't include other information in it), your third design is ok - click delete to delete them, or click X to close the window. After you click Delete, give a warning message on you webpage, tell user he/she deletes something, he/she can undo it, and it disappears before next operation.

If the delete object is very important, you should give warning message just on the window and give two button like Sure, I am sure; No, I don't want to delete it.

Answer 3

Using the dialog I suggest to use a "Back To..." button instead of the "Cancel"; even "Close" may create confusion in some user and "Back To..." it's now a more familiar concept for many user. In the dialog per se a check box on the left of every line of items will help the user too.