Legacy Maemo 5 Documentation/Human Interface Guidelines/Usability Principles
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=Usability Principles= | =Usability Principles= | ||
| - | This section | + | This section gives some basic principles that are core to the development of touch interfaces and mobile applications. Concepts introduced later in this document build upon the principles in this section. The principles present in the [http://library.gnome.org/devel/hig-book/2.26/principles.html.en Principles Section] of GNOME HIG, although not so related to mobile applications, are also very useful reference and the reader should be familiar with them as well. |
==Diversity== | ==Diversity== | ||
| - | Mobile devices have a wide variety of available hardware. For example, some devices have special buttons to raise the volume, to call a menu, to navigate through the menus, etc. Other devices | + | Mobile devices have a wide variety of available hardware. For example, some devices have special buttons to raise the volume, to call a menu, to navigate through the menus, etc. Other devices may not have any of these buttons. Because of this diversity, avoid using icons or actions that are intimately related to a specific device or brand. For example, don't use a mouse icon with one of its buttons highlighted to suggest the user to click. Also, avoid messages that mention specific hardware features like ``Use the menu button to...'' (unless referring to graphical button). The developer only controls the software's user interface and cannot depend on any particular hardware features. |
==Size Matters== | ==Size Matters== | ||
| - | + | A mobile device is neither a desktop nor a laptop computer. Screen size is an obvious and important difference. Small size screens make the interaction with an application a very different experience than working with a standard computer screen. | |
| - | A mobile device is neither a desktop nor a laptop computer. Screen size is an obvious and important difference. | + | |
| - | Remember that mobile device screens are not only small, but they vary widely in size and dimensions. Do not assume that your user's device will have the same | + | Remember that mobile device screens are not only small, but they vary widely in size and dimensions. Do not assume that your user's device will have the same screen size as the one you are using. Some devices may have a landscape display while others will have a portrait display. Some may even be able to change the display orientation. Mobile applications should be able to adapt to all these displays. Fixed-sized application widgets should be avoided. For example, instead of defining a fixed size for example for a button, let Hildon itself adapt that button to the label and screen layout. |
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| + | Hildon is designed for touch interfaces and if you wish your application to be finger-friendly, be aware of the size of the widgets with which the user will interact. Small touch surfaces, such as small buttons, are difficult and frustrating to use. | ||
==Using Fingers== | ==Using Fingers== | ||
| - | + | Being designed to be used by fingers, Hildon also requires some changes in what comes to the widgets placement in the application. For example, consider an application divided in two columns, the left one that displays information, and the right one that holds control widgets. If the user is left-handed, he or she may cover up the display area with their fingers when touching the control widgets. It would be good to let the user choose the position of the mentioned areas but a better approach would be to place the control widgets in the bottom and the information on top of them, if possible. | |
Revision as of 07:59, 17 August 2009
Contents |
Usability Principles
This section gives some basic principles that are core to the development of touch interfaces and mobile applications. Concepts introduced later in this document build upon the principles in this section. The principles present in the Principles Section of GNOME HIG, although not so related to mobile applications, are also very useful reference and the reader should be familiar with them as well.
Diversity
Mobile devices have a wide variety of available hardware. For example, some devices have special buttons to raise the volume, to call a menu, to navigate through the menus, etc. Other devices may not have any of these buttons. Because of this diversity, avoid using icons or actions that are intimately related to a specific device or brand. For example, don't use a mouse icon with one of its buttons highlighted to suggest the user to click. Also, avoid messages that mention specific hardware features like ``Use the menu button to... (unless referring to graphical button). The developer only controls the software's user interface and cannot depend on any particular hardware features.
Size Matters
A mobile device is neither a desktop nor a laptop computer. Screen size is an obvious and important difference. Small size screens make the interaction with an application a very different experience than working with a standard computer screen.
Remember that mobile device screens are not only small, but they vary widely in size and dimensions. Do not assume that your user's device will have the same screen size as the one you are using. Some devices may have a landscape display while others will have a portrait display. Some may even be able to change the display orientation. Mobile applications should be able to adapt to all these displays. Fixed-sized application widgets should be avoided. For example, instead of defining a fixed size for example for a button, let Hildon itself adapt that button to the label and screen layout.
Hildon is designed for touch interfaces and if you wish your application to be finger-friendly, be aware of the size of the widgets with which the user will interact. Small touch surfaces, such as small buttons, are difficult and frustrating to use.
Using Fingers
Being designed to be used by fingers, Hildon also requires some changes in what comes to the widgets placement in the application. For example, consider an application divided in two columns, the left one that displays information, and the right one that holds control widgets. If the user is left-handed, he or she may cover up the display area with their fingers when touching the control widgets. It would be good to let the user choose the position of the mentioned areas but a better approach would be to place the control widgets in the bottom and the information on top of them, if possible.