RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

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RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Adrian Crum-2
Currently, the defacto standard layout for Find screens is like this:

  Page Title

  Create New Button

  Search Criteria Screenlet

  Search Results Screenlet

What I'm wondering is if we can standardize the screenlet titles The search criteria screenlet title bar would say "Search Criteria" and the search results screenlet title bar would say "Search Results". The page title already tells you what you're searching for.

I believe this will help improve the consistency of the UI and make it easier for new users to understand.

What do you think?

-Adrian


       
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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

David E Jones

Thinking about this a little it seems like given the nature of the  
forms the purpose is pretty obvious. Is it even necessary to label  
these sections? Or in other words, could we live without them and just  
simplify them out?

-David


On Feb 9, 2008, at 2:54 PM, Adrian Crum wrote:

> Currently, the defacto standard layout for Find screens is like this:
>
>  Page Title
>
>  Create New Button
>
>  Search Criteria Screenlet
>
>  Search Results Screenlet
>
> What I'm wondering is if we can standardize the screenlet titles The  
> search criteria screenlet title bar would say "Search Criteria" and  
> the search results screenlet title bar would say "Search Results".  
> The page title already tells you what you're searching for.
>
> I believe this will help improve the consistency of the UI and make  
> it easier for new users to understand.
>
> What do you think?
>
> -Adrian
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  
> Try it now.

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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Adrian Crum-2
Well, I still recall pretty clearly the first time I used OFBiz and I remember being confused by the Find screens - mainly because the terminology was inconsistent. That's the main reason for this RFC.

I don't know how a new user would view unlabeled screenlets. I guess we could give it a try and wait for feedback.

Take a look at the screen shots in this Jira issue -

https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1626

I thought that Find screen was simple, yet intuitive.

-Adrian


David E Jones <[hidden email]> wrote:
Thinking about this a little it seems like given the nature of the  
forms the purpose is pretty obvious. Is it even necessary to label  
these sections? Or in other words, could we live without them and just  
simplify them out?

-David


On Feb 9, 2008, at 2:54 PM, Adrian Crum wrote:

> Currently, the defacto standard layout for Find screens is like this:
>
>  Page Title
>
>  Create New Button
>
>  Search Criteria Screenlet
>
>  Search Results Screenlet
>
> What I'm wondering is if we can standardize the screenlet titles The  
> search criteria screenlet title bar would say "Search Criteria" and  
> the search results screenlet title bar would say "Search Results".  
> The page title already tells you what you're searching for.
>
> I believe this will help improve the consistency of the UI and make  
> it easier for new users to understand.
>
> What do you think?
>
> -Adrian
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  
> Try it now.



       
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing.   Make Yahoo your homepage.
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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

David E Jones

You're right, it would look funny to have a header without a label.

Not sure how helpful they'll be, but some random thoughts:

1. if screen space is of concern these are a good candidate (among  
many others) for elimination or consolidation; others that come to  
mind are moving the new button up by the description, perhaps to the  
right of the screen; if the header of a screenlet is eliminated the  
+/- could go inside the lower box to the right or something

2. does the proliferation of header bars clutter the screen?

3. if the default behavior is mostly to show one or another (ie first  
show the criteria, then after submission show the results), perhaps  
just use two tabs for this, one for criteria and one for results?

4. the term "Criteria" seems a little bit technical and perhaps not  
well understand; alternatives that come to mind are: constraints,  
parameters, options, values, stuff, thingies, doo-dads... there's got  
to be something better...

-David


On Feb 9, 2008, at 5:34 PM, Adrian Crum wrote:

> Well, I still recall pretty clearly the first time I used OFBiz and  
> I remember being confused by the Find screens - mainly because the  
> terminology was inconsistent. That's the main reason for this RFC.
>
> I don't know how a new user would view unlabeled screenlets. I guess  
> we could give it a try and wait for feedback.
>
> Take a look at the screen shots in this Jira issue -
>
> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1626
>
> I thought that Find screen was simple, yet intuitive.
>
> -Adrian
>
>
> David E Jones <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Thinking about this a little it seems like given the nature of the
> forms the purpose is pretty obvious. Is it even necessary to label
> these sections? Or in other words, could we live without them and just
> simplify them out?
>
> -David
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2008, at 2:54 PM, Adrian Crum wrote:
>
>> Currently, the defacto standard layout for Find screens is like this:
>>
>> Page Title
>>
>> Create New Button
>>
>> Search Criteria Screenlet
>>
>> Search Results Screenlet
>>
>> What I'm wondering is if we can standardize the screenlet titles The
>> search criteria screenlet title bar would say "Search Criteria" and
>> the search results screenlet title bar would say "Search Results".
>> The page title already tells you what you're searching for.
>>
>> I believe this will help improve the consistency of the UI and make
>> it easier for new users to understand.
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>> -Adrian
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------
>> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.
>> Try it now.
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Never miss a thing.   Make Yahoo your homepage.

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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Adrian Crum-2
Thanks David - those are great suggestions!

I like the sound of Search Options better.

As far as a redesign of the Find screens is concerned, I'll give it some thought. I was just trying to standardize terminology for now, not redesign anything.

The collapsible search options screenlet idea came from the Find Party screen. That capability has been there since I first got involved in the project. So, it's not like I'm trying to introduce something new, I was just trying to make it more automatic - via a screenlet widget.

-Adrian


David E Jones <[hidden email]> wrote:
You're right, it would look funny to have a header without a label.

Not sure how helpful they'll be, but some random thoughts:

1. if screen space is of concern these are a good candidate (among  
many others) for elimination or consolidation; others that come to  
mind are moving the new button up by the description, perhaps to the  
right of the screen; if the header of a screenlet is eliminated the  
+/- could go inside the lower box to the right or something

2. does the proliferation of header bars clutter the screen?

3. if the default behavior is mostly to show one or another (ie first  
show the criteria, then after submission show the results), perhaps  
just use two tabs for this, one for criteria and one for results?

4. the term "Criteria" seems a little bit technical and perhaps not  
well understand; alternatives that come to mind are: constraints,  
parameters, options, values, stuff, thingies, doo-dads... there's got  
to be something better...

-David


On Feb 9, 2008, at 5:34 PM, Adrian Crum wrote:

> Well, I still recall pretty clearly the first time I used OFBiz and  
> I remember being confused by the Find screens - mainly because the  
> terminology was inconsistent. That's the main reason for this RFC.
>
> I don't know how a new user would view unlabeled screenlets. I guess  
> we could give it a try and wait for feedback.
>
> Take a look at the screen shots in this Jira issue -
>
> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1626
>
> I thought that Find screen was simple, yet intuitive.
>
> -Adrian
>
>
> David E Jones  wrote:
> Thinking about this a little it seems like given the nature of the
> forms the purpose is pretty obvious. Is it even necessary to label
> these sections? Or in other words, could we live without them and just
> simplify them out?
>
> -David
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2008, at 2:54 PM, Adrian Crum wrote:
>
>> Currently, the defacto standard layout for Find screens is like this:
>>
>> Page Title
>>
>> Create New Button
>>
>> Search Criteria Screenlet
>>
>> Search Results Screenlet
>>
>> What I'm wondering is if we can standardize the screenlet titles The
>> search criteria screenlet title bar would say "Search Criteria" and
>> the search results screenlet title bar would say "Search Results".
>> The page title already tells you what you're searching for.
>>
>> I believe this will help improve the consistency of the UI and make
>> it easier for new users to understand.
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>> -Adrian
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------
>> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.
>> Try it now.
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Never miss a thing.   Make Yahoo your homepage.



       
---------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Jacques Le Roux
Administrator
In reply to this post by David E Jones
From: "David E Jones" <[hidden email]>
> You're right, it would look funny to have a header without a label.

Yes indeed

> Not sure how helpful they'll be, but some random thoughts:
>
> 3. if the default behavior is mostly to show one or another (ie first  show the criteria, then after submission show the results),
> perhaps  just use two tabs for this, one for criteria and one for results?

I proposed this some time ago. But as Adrian pointed
>The collapsible search options screenlet idea came from the Find Party screen. That capability has been there since I first got
>involved in the project. So, it's not like I'm trying to introduce something new, I was just trying to make it more automatic - via
>a screenlet widget.

We should note that it's not the most common way to do this sort of thing (tabs are). I think there are at least 2 reasons for this:

. it recalls a "real-life" artifact (people grab them faster)
. it's more ergonomic (less clutter)

I think we really should introduce a tab concept in OFBiz using an existing Ajax feature. I only suggest and have no time to work on
it right now...

Jacques

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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Adrian Crum-2
Jacques Le Roux <[hidden email]> wrote:We should note that it's not the most common way to do this sort of thing (tabs are). I think there are at least 2 reasons for this:

. it recalls a "real-life" artifact (people grab them faster)
. it's more ergonomic (less clutter)

I think we really should introduce a tab concept in OFBiz using an existing Ajax feature. I only suggest and have no time to work on
it right now...


I'm not able to picture what you and David are proposing. If someone could post a small example to Jira, or give me a link to a web page that has an example, then I'm sure it will be an easy task for me to add it into the screenlet widget.


-Adrian


       
---------------------------------
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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Vince Clark
In reply to this post by Jacques Le Roux
+1 for tabs and Ajax. OfBiz UI needs to be "modernized."

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jacques Le Roux" <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 2:32:37 AM (GMT-0700) America/Denver
Subject: Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

From: "David E Jones" <[hidden email]>
> You're right, it would look funny to have a header without a label.

Yes indeed

> Not sure how helpful they'll be, but some random thoughts:
>
> 3. if the default behavior is mostly to show one or another (ie first show the criteria, then after submission show the results),
> perhaps just use two tabs for this, one for criteria and one for results?

I proposed this some time ago. But as Adrian pointed
>The collapsible search options screenlet idea came from the Find Party screen. That capability has been there since I first got
>involved in the project. So, it's not like I'm trying to introduce something new, I was just trying to make it more automatic - via
>a screenlet widget.

We should note that it's not the most common way to do this sort of thing (tabs are). I think there are at least 2 reasons for this:

. it recalls a "real-life" artifact (people grab them faster)
. it's more ergonomic (less clutter)

I think we really should introduce a tab concept in OFBiz using an existing Ajax feature. I only suggest and have no time to work on
it right now...

Jacques

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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

David E Jones
In reply to this post by Adrian Crum-2

On Feb 10, 2008, at 8:23 AM, Adrian Crum wrote:

> Jacques Le Roux <[hidden email]> wrote:We should note  
> that it's not the most common way to do this sort of thing (tabs  
> are). I think there are at least 2 reasons for this:
>
> . it recalls a "real-life" artifact (people grab them faster)
> . it's more ergonomic (less clutter)
>
> I think we really should introduce a tab concept in OFBiz using an  
> existing Ajax feature. I only suggest and have no time to work on
> it right now...
>
>
> I'm not able to picture what you and David are proposing. If someone  
> could post a small example to Jira, or give me a link to a web page  
> that has an example, then I'm sure it will be an easy task for me to  
> add it into the screenlet widget.

Basically instead of having two screenlets one above the other have a  
single screenlet with two divided text areas, ie "tabs", one for  
options and the other for results. There would be one bottom area that  
changes depending on which tab has been clicked on most recently. The  
bottom would actually be 2 divs but one of the two would be hidden at  
any given time. This isn't _really_ an "AJAX" thing as it would not  
imply any background/asynchronous server communication (though that  
would be neat too, to update results and paginate and such without  
reloading the page). Anyway, this is already done in the WebTools  
Entity Data Maintenance page for view/edit and entity record.

-David

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Re: RFC: Standardized Find Screen Layout

Adrian Crum
I created a Jira issue where screenshots can be posted and we can share
ideas on this subject -

https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1635

-Adrian


David E Jones wrote:

>
> On Feb 10, 2008, at 8:23 AM, Adrian Crum wrote:
>
>> Jacques Le Roux <[hidden email]> wrote:We should note
>> that it's not the most common way to do this sort of thing (tabs are).
>> I think there are at least 2 reasons for this:
>>
>> . it recalls a "real-life" artifact (people grab them faster)
>> . it's more ergonomic (less clutter)
>>
>> I think we really should introduce a tab concept in OFBiz using an
>> existing Ajax feature. I only suggest and have no time to work on
>> it right now...
>>
>>
>> I'm not able to picture what you and David are proposing. If someone
>> could post a small example to Jira, or give me a link to a web page
>> that has an example, then I'm sure it will be an easy task for me to
>> add it into the screenlet widget.
>
> Basically instead of having two screenlets one above the other have a
> single screenlet with two divided text areas, ie "tabs", one for options
> and the other for results. There would be one bottom area that changes
> depending on which tab has been clicked on most recently. The bottom
> would actually be 2 divs but one of the two would be hidden at any given
> time. This isn't _really_ an "AJAX" thing as it would not imply any
> background/asynchronous server communication (though that would be neat
> too, to update results and paginate and such without reloading the
> page). Anyway, this is already done in the WebTools Entity Data
> Maintenance page for view/edit and entity record.
>
> -David
>
>