Are there names for the different models for editing and saving data, specifically on a Web form? What are they? As examples, there's the model where the user has to explicitly save the data by clicking Save
or cancel by clicking Cancel
. Then there's continuous saving like Google does. The way JIRA handles editing and saving with an little editors for different elements is another option (though I don't like that you need to hover over them.) There are probably others.
1 Answer
I can think of some way of classifying the different behaviours, but I don't know if there are 'standard' terminologies for them all. Briefly I think the key elements in the various saving models are:
- Triggers
- User driven: the user initiates the saving action (e.g. clicks on save or closes the document)
- System driven: based on the system picking up changes to the document, or performed periodically (e.g. autosave)
- Interactions
- Inline/in-place: the trigger creates an interaction at where the change takes place
- pop-up/modal: the trigger creates focused area for the user to action/acknowledge
- Notifications
- Pre: informs the user before saving
- Post: informs the user after saving