Visibility and User Experience Client Development
This morning..i'm wake up and sync my device..I'm definitly thinking about good user interface for my latest prototype code name : "BlackAngel" . Open up my Vista craddled my device and WMDC is showing. Thinking about user interface is thinking visibility on certains area such as Menu Visibility, Coolness Visibility , and color visibility. A good example is WMDC, take a look the interface here
Menu Visibility doesn't mean all the menu are showing, but the most usefull menus like the pics above. Take a look more detail visibility architecture (Jacobs Said like that) we can see.
- Visibility of Progress
- Visibility of Menu
- Visibility of Navigation
- Visibility to Explore more advance menu
And you might be asked so where is the not really good visibility ? . Hemm..take alook of this application
Talk about visibility is just like asks your grandma to play your favourite song while you go bath. Your grandma as veteran computer user always try to find where is File, Open, etc..how to open a WMA file and play it.
1st mistake : WM11 hides some menu that always used like "File à Open"
Why?
You have to click empty space to show File menu, a tiny empty space in WM11 make you find a difficulties here,the better approach is to press Ctrl+O (hope your grandma remember the shortcut). Ah visibilty and accesibility violation
2nd mistake : Same menu different style
Why?
Take a look in a right corner, this is dual navigation that displayed in WM11, it's not a really bad mistake like the first mistake..but many people will use the big button rather than menu without shortcut.
The purpose for that menu is to access some menu that not displayed and this is not a mistake this is a good approach for visibility..but MW11 will be more nice if the right corner diplays only the hidden menu(s).
3rd mistake : Small point area to access more menu and you have to click it!
Why?
Take a look in button library. There is two functionality 80% area to show library stuff..like my album etc, 20% area to show more menu and you have to click it!!. The better approach is automatic display like WMDC does, so when user hover into the library button the more menu is displayed, if grandma click the library button, she will go to library page but when she just hover it the more menu is displayed. Click 20% area sometime is difficult when you are in a high resolution or in a hurry.
Happy designing...
Ridi Ferdiana