22
votes
Accepted
Why don't commercial products use Logarithmic Volume Controls?
Working as a sound designer in the games industry the response I have get from most programmers regarding this is that they simply don't realise that linear volume scaling is wrong. Once shown the ...
- 236
15
votes
Is it acceptable to place video controls at the top of a video?
The top of panels is usually reserved for controls over the panel itself, not the content of the panel.
For instance, in your example you have the Full Screen icon in the top-right, which at a glance ...
JonW♦
- 37.2k
9
votes
Accepted
What is the name of this moveable multiselect list?
What names are there?
Microsoft calls this a List Builder. As does the 2006 book 'Designing Interfaces' by O'Reilly.
Google calls this in Material Design UI a "transfer list" (or "shuttle").
...
- 8,311
8
votes
Why does the Xbox controller have non-symmetrical analog sticks?
The answer is simple. There is no "ergonomics", "fatigue" and other speculation. When Sony made a gamepad for original PlayStation - its design was patented. Therefore, Microsoft had no choice but to ...
7
votes
Is it acceptable to place video controls at the top of a video?
Instead of asking "why shouldn't I?", ask "why should I?".
Currently the de-facto standard is to put the timeline at the bottom. Changing this will cause mental friction, so you've got to have a good ...
- 8,311
5
votes
Accepted
Radio buttons or Dropdown for same list of options
I'd go with radio buttons based on this following the article "Checkboxes vs. Radio Buttons" by Jakob Nielsen.
The article references the radio buttons vs dropdown menu as the following:
If ...
- 1,039
5
votes
Accepted
Is there a better solution for picker control on iOS
No
For really large lists add separate screen with all options in a list (with filter). Here is an example for a Ringtone in iOS:
Use picker for small lists.
That's it for standard controls. I saw ...
- 155
5
votes
Accepted
How to clearly differentiate sort by creation vs sort by comments
Just say what you mean
Sometimes you just have to say it out loud. What is the most succinct way to clearly describe it in plain language? It also helps to ask others in a sort of guerrilla testing ...
- 21.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Which form widget for (seemingly) linear input without default value?
There is already a an interface in hardware design where a potentiometer or rheostat has a switch at one of the ends of the range. In some cases, it is used as an on/off switch, e.g. for a cheap ...
- 66
5
votes
Which form widget for (seemingly) linear input without default value?
I will suggest you go with radio buttons over slider, because sliders lack the very important features such as: Precision, Speed, Cognitive Load etc.
Here's a fantastic study done on this topic (the ...
- 16.2k
5
votes
Add-to-cart action for two separate upsell items in the checkout flow
Less clicks, please 😬
The trouble here is that you're asking your customer to change how they think about adding to the cart.
Ask yourself a simple question when creating the control:
Is there ...
- 21.3k
5
votes
What's a good way to show a slider that also has on/off toogle in an app?
Depending on how you access these features in your app, you can turn it into a two step process that's contained within one screen. You can use the same format for temperature.
- 9,851
5
votes
Which is the better way to rotate an object?
I think arc looks cool, but is hell to implement and users will try to follow the arc with is quite complex motion to do with mouse and especially trackpad.
I think it is better to suggest movement ...
- 1,628
5
votes
Accepted
How to design a control when you select any 3 of 4 parameters to get the remaining one
vkrouglov You can try this approach:
By offloading the work upfront, ask for the missing details (i.e output)
- 1,628
5
votes
Choosing sub-categories of a category to be observed or ignored
Every filter has three states 'must wear' 'must not wear' 'does not matter'
Instead of switching a filter on and of you could provide all three states. Something like this.
I do not know how or by ...
- 3,415
4
votes
For what reasons would you not include a volume control in an audio player?
The main reason is to simplify the UI so it's easier to navigate. The excuse ("reason") this works is because the hardware almost always supports hardware volume adjustment, whether it's your iPhone ...
- 2,788
4
votes
For what reasons would you not include a volume control in an audio player?
I think the smart approach would be to include a volume control on desktop computers, but hide it on mobile.
The reason is most desktop users don't like to adjust their speaker volume, it's often ...
- 41
4
votes
Best way to allow entry of shop open hours
If you like graphical solutions you may try something like this:
Clicking in the stripe below the edit field helps to select the hours without typing them. User may also click and drag, if they like.
- 1,175
4
votes
Best way to allow entry of shop open hours
How about something where admins can click/drag the hours for each day. You could provide extra feedback of the actual hours selected during this action.
- 41
4
votes
Why does YouTube hide media controls?
I can still remember when YouTube videos had transport controls visible all the time.
As YouTube videos are usually embedded in other webpages the transport controls need to be included within the ...
- 14.2k
4
votes
Do numeric steppers have an affordance problem?
I think this is a brilliant question. I know I have experienced this difficulty in the past, even when I may have been aware of the additional methods. I can't speak for others but hidden gestures or ...
- 2,816
4
votes
Is there a practice to indicate that some area is accessible via Permissions only?
Color was already suggested, but is simple iconography an option? A tiny "lock" icon, or even a box or shaded area with a faint lock image as a background perhaps?
Super quick example
- 566
4
votes
Accepted
Rotating button text
Why not use a segmented control instead?
Segmented controls with text labels are unambiguous, and allow the user to see the state and the name of the state (and all available states) in the same view.
...
- 24.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Name for a control with a dropdown, text boxes, and a list
The general term is Selection Dependent Inputs.
LukeW speaks on these, often in the context of radio buttons that expose other choices. It's an older piece, but still quite relevant.
- 24.6k
4
votes
Choosing sub-categories of a category to be observed or ignored
Don't use switches.
Toggle switches are notoriously difficult to read and are only really meant to be used for two different and mutually exclusive options. Like "Chicken or Fish?".
Do use ...
- 14.2k
4
votes
Choosing sub-categories of a category to be observed or ignored
As others have mentioned, checkboxes/radios are appropriate here vs switches (general rule: if your panel needs a Save button, don't use a switch, because they imply instant change.)
There's space for ...
- 12k
3
votes
Is there a better solution for picker control on iOS
There are 2 standard solutions for this in iOS. One is the Picker control, which can be slow to use when browsing a large list:
The other is to use a TableView with a search filter, as Nikita ...
- 577
3
votes
Is there a better solution for picker control on iOS
is there a way to combine the picker with a text box as a combined control so that the list would auto update as the user enters the details in the text field?
No, as you can't display both the iOS ...
- 41.8k
3
votes
Why don't commercial products use Logarithmic Volume Controls?
The scale doesn't matter most of the time and the label of that scale almost never matters.
In a broad sense, the user only wants volume controls with 2 settings: Off and the correct/desired volume. ...
- 8,888
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible