Difference between revisions of "Rules to build user friendly menus"
From Freeplane - free mind mapping and knowledge management software
(Created page with '= Legend = In the text below : *'''MM''' means Main Menu. Main menu is the main bar of menus which gives access to all features *'''CO''' means Command. A command is available in...') |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | =Introduction= | ||
| + | The purpose of this page is to describe '''10 basic principles to build easy to use Menus for a rich mind map software called Freeplane''' ! | ||
| + | |||
= Legend = | = Legend = | ||
| − | In | + | In this page : |
| − | *'''MM''' means Main Menu. Main menu is the main bar of menus which gives access to all features | + | *'''MM''' means Main Menu. Main menu is the main bar of menus which gives access to all software features |
*'''CO''' means Command. A command is available in menu, it executes an action | *'''CO''' means Command. A command is available in menu, it executes an action | ||
| − | *'''SM''' means Sub Menu. A submenu is | + | *'''SM''' means Sub Menu. A submenu is a menu entry which opens an other menu |
| − | *'''CM''' means Contextual Menu. A menu displayed only in a specific context (ie while on a node or on the map background) | + | *'''CM''' means Contextual Menu. A contextual menu is a menu displayed only in a specific context (ie while on a node or on the map background) |
*'''XX#''' means rules number # for subject XX. | *'''XX#''' means rules number # for subject XX. | ||
=Rules to organize Main Menu= | =Rules to organize Main Menu= | ||
| − | * (MM1) a MM entry is created for each | + | * (MM1) a MM entry is created for each kind of operation (File / Edit / Display ...) |
| − | * (MM2) MM should be in a logical order inspired by other softwares best | + | * (MM2) MM should be in a logical order inspired by other softwares best practices |
=Rules to organize Commands in menus = | =Rules to organize Commands in menus = | ||
* (CO1) in a MM entry, items are grouped by type of operations (all commands to move nodes are at the same place) | * (CO1) in a MM entry, items are grouped by type of operations (all commands to move nodes are at the same place) | ||
| − | * (CO2) items are ordered logicaly (items used | + | * (CO2) items are ordered logicaly (items used first at the beginning : ie Create Node > Edit Node > Delete Node or Print Preview then Print; if no logical order can be found : the must used commands are in first position) |
=Use of Sub Menus= | =Use of Sub Menus= | ||
| Line 21: | Line 24: | ||
=Contextual Menu= | =Contextual Menu= | ||
| − | * (CM1) in CM order should be the same as in | + | * (CM1) in CM, order should be the same as in MM (consistency for end-users) |
* (CM2) CM should contain only very frequently used commands | * (CM2) CM should contain only very frequently used commands | ||
=Toolbars= | =Toolbars= | ||
* (TB1) the rules for toolbars are the same as for CM : same order as MM, only frequently used commands. | * (TB1) the rules for toolbars are the same as for CM : same order as MM, only frequently used commands. | ||
Revision as of 20:48, 31 May 2011
Contents
Introduction
The purpose of this page is to describe 10 basic principles to build easy to use Menus for a rich mind map software called Freeplane !
Legend
In this page :
- MM means Main Menu. Main menu is the main bar of menus which gives access to all software features
- CO means Command. A command is available in menu, it executes an action
- SM means Sub Menu. A submenu is a menu entry which opens an other menu
- CM means Contextual Menu. A contextual menu is a menu displayed only in a specific context (ie while on a node or on the map background)
- XX# means rules number # for subject XX.
Rules to organize Main Menu
- (MM1) a MM entry is created for each kind of operation (File / Edit / Display ...)
- (MM2) MM should be in a logical order inspired by other softwares best practices
- (CO1) in a MM entry, items are grouped by type of operations (all commands to move nodes are at the same place)
- (CO2) items are ordered logicaly (items used first at the beginning : ie Create Node > Edit Node > Delete Node or Print Preview then Print; if no logical order can be found : the must used commands are in first position)
Use of Sub Menus
- (SM1) SM are created to simplify long MM or CM (ie more than 20 items in the menu)
- (SM2) SM should be limited to 3 levels (ie 3 clicks before displaying the wanted command)
- (SB3) SM should contain 3 items or more
Contextual Menu
- (CM1) in CM, order should be the same as in MM (consistency for end-users)
- (CM2) CM should contain only very frequently used commands
Toolbars
- (TB1) the rules for toolbars are the same as for CM : same order as MM, only frequently used commands.
