Web application design handbook : best practices for web-based software

• Main Authors: Fowler, Susan L., Stanwick, Victor R.
• Format: eBook Book
• Language: English
• Published: San Francisco, CA Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, is an imprint of Elsevier 2004; Elsevier Science & Technology; Morgan Kaufmann
• Edition: 1
• Series: The Morgan Kaufmann series in interactive technologies
• Subjects: Application software > Development; Web databases; Web site development; Web sites; Web sites > Design

The standards for usability and interaction design for Web sites and software are well known. While not everyone uses those standards, or uses them correctly, there is a large body of knowledge, best practice, and proven results in those fields, and a good education system for teaching professionals...

Table of Contents:

• Selecting Records for the Report or Set of Forms -- Scheduling Reports -- Manipulating Reports -- Ways to Sort Columns -- Ways to Change Column Order -- Saving Output -- Print for the File Folder -- Archive Output -- Save the Criteria for Formats and Output Generation -- Save Old Data -- Communication and Distribution -- Use Email -- Distribute Information About Access -- Distribute Knowledge, Not Just Data -- Export to Text Files -- Export to Data Files -- Printer-Friendly" Versions -- What to Do if There Are Too Many Records in the Report -- Solutions -- Before Starting the Report -- While Generating the Report -- When Displaying the Report -- 10 Designing Graphs and Charts -- Will This Data Make a Good Graph? -- Data Rectangles Hold the Information -- Use Grids if the Data May Be Hard to Read -- Axes Show the Variables -- Scales Show Units of Measurement -- Labels Provide Overall Meaning -- How to Use and Choose Symbols on Line and Scatterplot Graphs -- How to Separate Multiple Datasets on Line and Bar Graphs -- Interactive Methods for Separating Multiple Datasets -- 11 Graph Types Based on Use -- Simple Comparisons -- Bar Chart -- Horizontal Bar Chart -- Clustered Bar Chart -- Zero-Line Bar Chart -- Pictorial Bar Chart -- Pareto Diagrams Are Not Bar Charts -- Changes Over Time -- Line Graph -- High/Low/Close -- Candle Chart -- Statistical Analysis -- Histogram -- Rules for Formatting Histograms -- Frequency Polygon -- Pyramid Histogram -- Stem-and-Leaf Graphs -- Scatterplot -- Bubble Chart -- Proportion -- Area Charts -- Area Charts Are Cumulative -- Pie Chart -- Rules for Formatting Pie Charts -- Donut Chart Variation -- Segmented Bar Chart -- Horizontal Segmented Bar Chart -- Paired Horizontal or Vertical Bar Chart -- Zero-Line Bar Chart -- 12 Designing Diagrams -- When to Use Diagrams -- Designing Diagram Software -- Parts of a Diagram Window
• Repeat Command Buttons at Top and Bottom -- Be Careful Where You Put the Buttons on Tabs and Frames -- Capture Multiple Button Presses -- You Don't Really Need "Reset," Do You? -- Include a "Find" Button -- When Losing Input Is Dangerous, Strip Out the Browser Controls -- Considering Offering Different Levels of Save -- When to Validate Input -- Mosaic Pages: Syndication and Links -- What If Part of Your Application Is Someone Else's Application? -- When to Warn That a Jump Is Imminent -- Consider Using Flash to Simplify the Interaction -- How to Be Helpful -- 4 Data Input: Lists -- A Simple List -- List on the Left, Object on the Right -- Use Split Windows for Navigation as Well as for Lists -- Consider Heterogeneous Windows -- Use Lists for Parts of an Object -- Consider Using Pictures -- Potential Problems with the List-Object Strategy -- How to Select the Right List-Object Strategy -- How to Select and Open Objects from Lists -- Selecting Multiple Rows -- How to Change Objects from Lists -- How to Show Actions -- Where to Put the Actions -- Use Popups for Secondary Data -- 5 Data Retrieval: Search -- Searching: Doing the Numbers -- Search Is Important -- Most Searches Are Simple -- Many Users Make Mistakes -- Searches Are Shallow (but Don't Have to Be) -- To Summarize... -- Simple Search: Good for Uncomplicated Retrievals -- Catch User Errors and Work Around Them -- Remember the Search -- Advanced Search: Good for Experienced Users -- How to Connect Multiple Criteria -- Don't Make Me Choose -- I Want None of That -- Now I Want the Opposite -- How to Offer Help Politely -- Complex Search: Good for Difficult Queries -- Use Progressive Disclosure to Avoid Overwhelming Searchers -- Who Should See What, or How to Deal with Security -- You May Need to Provide a Complete View of the Database -- Results of a Search -- Provide Feedback
• Parts of Diagrams
• Don't Make Users Format Text -- Provide Keyboard as Well as Mouse Navigation -- Retain Cut, Copy, and Paste -- Label Fields Correctly -- How to Label Data-Input Forms -- How to Label e-Commerce Forms -- Accommodate Less Experienced Users -- Use Different Labeling Strategies for International Forms -- Make Sure Labels Are Correctly Tied to Their Fields -- How to Group Fields -- Complexity Is Not Necessarily Bad -- Offer Automated Entry Fields -- How to Show Protected Fields -- Required Field, Defined -- Use Required Fields Sparingly -- How to Indicate a Required Field -- Offer Defaults Whenever Possible -- How Not to Indicate a Required Field -- How to Provide Feedback for Required Fields -- Prevent Input Errors with Dropdown Lists -- When to Use Dropdown Lists -- Check Your Lists for Typos and Other Errors -- Put Lists in Order -- When to Use Regular Lists Rather Than Dropdown Lists -- Prevent Input Errors with Checkboxes -- Checkbox Groups: Doing the Numbers -- Be Careful How You Toggle -- Use Opposites Only -- Don't Use Negatives (You'll Create a Double Negative by Mistake) -- Prevent Input Errors with Radio Buttons -- I Want Nothing! -- Make Your Checkboxes and Radio Buttons More Accessible -- When to Use Tabs Instead of Pages -- Guidelines for Tabs -- When to Use Popups -- Use Popups to Offer Information -- Follow These Popup Guidelines -- Three Traditional Popup Buttons -- Use Standard Button Order -- How to Do Dates, Addresses, and Other Standard Input -- Dates: Use Calendar Popups and a Day-Month-Year Format -- What Are the Standard Elements of Names and Addresses? -- Numbers Are Handled Differently in Different Cultures -- Credit Card Numbers Are the Same, Except When They're Different -- Guidelines for Buttons -- Use Buttons to Do Things, Use Links to Jump to Other Web Pages -- How to Size Buttons -- Set Buttons Off from Fields
• What to Do When You Retrieve Too Many Records -- Be Careful with Error Messages -- 6 Data Retrieval: Filtering and Browsing -- Use Filtering to Control Overloads -- Filters Can Be Dangerous -- Where to Put the Filter -- How to Save the Filter -- Use Browsing When the Query Is Fuzzy -- Make the Most of People's Spatial Abilities -- Maintain an Overview with Fish-Eye Lenses -- Provide Database Overviews -- Clustering and Concept Mapping Are Good for Visual Thinkers -- Use Expanded Thumbnails to Make Information Pop Out -- Offer Better Information by Providing Ratings -- 7 Data Output: Reports -- Let Users Print Ad Hoc Queries -- Ad Hoc Reports: Not Just Screenshots -- Start Database Designs from Reports -- Aren't We Trying to Get Rid of Paper? -- Heavy Lifting: Management Reports -- Home Grown or Store Bought? -- Should This Be a Summary or a Detailed Report? -- Should This Be a Comparison? -- Defining Management Reports -- Collect Requirements from Old Reports -- Check for Data That Aren't from the Database -- Rules for Headers -- Rules for Footers -- Rules for the Report's Body -- Make Sure That Column Headings Are Clear -- Make Sure the Report Shows Units of Measurement -- Use the Right Fonts -- How to Separate Rows Visually without Cluttering the Screen -- What to Do if the Report Is Too Wide -- Make Reports Work with Screen-Reading Software -- Break Up Pages Logically -- Report Parameters Tell People How the Report Was Created -- 8 Data Output: Printed Forms -- Make Changes Hard to Do -- What Size and Shape Is the Paper? -- Designing a Form -- Who Are You, and Why Are You Sending Me Things? Form Headers Contain Corporate Identity Information -- Put Page Numbers in the Footers -- Put the Important Information in the Body -- Email or Post Forms Online -- 9 Interacting with Output -- Designing the Formatting Window -- Generating Output
• Front cover -- The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive Technologies -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Table of contents -- Preface -- Answering Questions -- Trust What You Already Know -- Predicting the Future -- A Short History of Visualization -- Visuals Provide More Context -- Visuals Encourage Pattern Recognition -- Visuals Speed Up Decisions -- Acknowledgments -- 1 What Is a Web Application? -- What's the Difference Between a Web Page and a Web Application? -- What Difference Does the Platform Make? -- The Tentative Answer -- Where Does My Program Fit? -- What Is the Nature of the Relationship? -- What Is the Conversation Like? -- What Is the Nature of the Interaction? -- What Are the Technical Requirements? -- How Often Is It Used? -- What Is the Expected Response Time (or the Perceived Distance)? -- Are These Interactions in Real Time? -- How Much Help Will the Users Need? -- What Is the Interaction Style? -- What Should It Look Like? -- Does It Follow Any Standards? -- How Intense Is This Interaction? -- What Should This Application Look Like? -- 2 The Browser Framework -- Browser Window: A Conceptual Model -- Parts of a Browser Window -- Parts of the Content Area -- A Note About Navigation -- Make Home Easy to Find -- Put Local Navigation on the Left -- Put Site-Wide Navigation on the Top -- Repeat Links on the Bottom -- Try Putting Advertising Banners in More Than One Spot -- Overall Design Issues -- Consider User Roles -- Size Windows Correctly -- Make Pages Printable -- Use the Right Colors -- Make Sure the Application Can Be Localized -- Make Sure Pages Are Accessible -- 3 Data Input: Forms -- Conceptual Model: Lists versus Objects -- Data-Input Forms: The Basics -- Use Fields to Collect Free-Form Information -- Know the Various Field Types -- Standard Field, Defined -- General Design Guidelines -- Make Entry Areas the Right Size