Microsoft Windows User Experience : Official Guidelines for User Interface Developers and Designers

by Microsoft Corporation

• ISBN13: 9780735605664
• ISBN10: 0735605661
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-09-01
• Publisher: MICROSOFT PRESS
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Targeted for professional developers, this book delivers a print version of official Microsoft guidelines for creating well-designed, visually and functionally consistent Windows user interfaces. Includes a new section that addresses common development missteps and offers ready solutions.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
How to Use This Book	xvii
How to Apply These Guidelines	xviii
Conventions Used in This Book	xix
Part 1 Fundamentals of Designing User Interaction
Getting Started
What's New	3	(1)
The Importance of a Well-Designed Interface	4	(1)
The Need for Improved Simplicity	5	(1)
Key Areas for Improvement	5	(17)
Confusing or Awkward Setup and Uninstall Design	5	(3)
Improper Use of the File System	8	(3)
GUI Overload	11	(6)
Missed Opportunities	17	(5)
Checklist for a Good Interface	22	(3)
Design Principles and Methodology
User-Centered Design Principles	25	(6)
User in Control	25	(1)
Directness	26	(1)
Consistency	27	(1)
Forgiveness	28	(1)
Feedback	29	(1)
Aesthetics	29	(1)
Simplicity	30	(1)
Design Methodology	31	(6)
A Balanced Design Team	31	(1)
The Design Cycle	31	(3)
Usability Assessment in the Design Process	34	(3)
Understanding Users	37	(1)
Design Tradeoffs	38	(3)
Basic Concepts
Data-Centered Design	41	(1)
Objects as Metaphor	42	(2)
Object Characteristics	42	(1)
Relationships	43	(1)
Composition	43	(1)
Persistence	44	(1)
Putting Theory into Practice	44	(3)
The Windows Environment
The Desktop	47	(1)
The Taskbar	48	(3)
The Start Button	49	(1)
The Quick Launch Bar	49	(1)
Window Buttons	50	(1)
The Status Notification Area	50	(1)
Icons	51	(1)
Windows	52	(3)
Input Basics
Mouse Input	55	(4)
Mouse Pointers	55	(2)
Mouse Actions	57	(2)
Keyboard Input	59	(6)
Text Keys	59	(1)
Access Keys	60	(1)
Mode Keys	61	(1)
Shortcut Keys	62	(3)
General Interaction Techniques
Navigation	65	(2)
Mouse Navigation	66	(1)
Keyboard Navigation	66	(1)
Selection	67	(13)
Selection Feedback	68	(1)
Scope of Selection	69	(1)
Hierarchical Selection	69	(1)
Mouse Selection	70	(8)
Auto-Selection	78	(1)
Keyboard Selection	78	(2)
Selection Shortcuts	80	(1)
Common Conventions for Supporting Operations	80	(10)
Operations for a Multiple Selection	81	(1)
Default Operations and Shortcut Techniques	81	(1)
Viewing Operations	82	(8)
Editing Operations	90	(5)
Editing Text	91	(2)
Transactions	93	(1)
Properties	94	(1)
Transfer Operations	95	(15)
Command Method	97	(3)
Direct Manipulation Method	100	(6)
Transfer Feedback	106	(3)
Specialized Transfer Commands	109	(1)
Shortcut Keys for Transfer Operations	110	(1)
Creation Operations	110	(7)
Copy Command	110	(1)
New Command	111	(1)
Insert Command	111	(1)
Using Controls	111	(1)
Using Templates	111	(1)
Operations on Linked Objects	112	(2)
Record Processing	114	(3)
Part 2 Windows Interface Components
Windows
Common Types of Windows	117	(1)
Primary Window Components	117	(6)
Window Frames	118	(1)
Title Bars	118	(1)
Title Bar Icons	119	(1)
Title Text	120	(2)
Title Bar Buttons	122	(1)
Basic Window Operations	123	(16)
Activating and Deactivating Windows	123	(1)
Opening and Closing Windows	124	(2)
Moving Windows	126	(1)
Resizing Windows	126	(3)
Scrolling Windows	129	(6)
Splitting Windows	135	(4)
Menus, Controls, and Toolbars
Menus	139	(19)
The Menu Bar and Drop-Down Menus	139	(3)
Common Drop-Down Menus	142	(2)
Shortcut Menus	144	(2)
Shortcut Menu Interaction	146	(1)
Common Shortcut Menus	147	(4)
Cascading Menus	151	(1)
Menu Titles	152	(1)
Menu Items	152	(4)
Menu Text	156	(2)
Controls	158	(41)
Buttons	160	(10)
List Boxes	170	(10)
Text Fields	180	(7)
Other General Controls	187	(12)
Toolbars and Status Bars	199	(8)
Interaction with Controls in Toolbars and Status Bars	200	(1)
Support for User Options	201	(1)
Toolbar Control	202	(1)
Toolbar Frame Control	202	(2)
Toolbar Buttons	204	(1)
Status Bar Control	205	(2)
Secondary Windows
Characteristics of Secondary Windows	207	(10)
Appearance and Behavior	207	(6)
Window Placement	213	(1)
Default Buttons	213	(1)
Navigation in Secondary Windows	214	(2)
Hyperlinks in Secondary Windows	216	(1)
Validation of Input	216	(1)
Property Sheets and Inspectors	217	(8)
Property Sheet Interface	217	(5)
Property Inspectors	222	(1)
Other Alternatives	223	(1)
Properties of a Multiple Selection	224	(1)
Properties of a Heterogeneous Selection	224	(1)
Properties of Grouped Items	224	(1)
Dialog Boxes	225	(15)
Title Bar Text	225	(1)
Dialog Box Commands	225	(1)
Layout	226	(1)
Common Dialog Box Interfaces	226	(14)
Palette Windows	240	(2)
Title Bar Text	241	(1)
Window Design	241	(1)
Message Boxes	242	(8)
Title Bar Text	242	(1)
Message Box Types	243	(2)
Command Buttons in Message Boxes	245	(1)
Message Box Text	246	(4)
Pop-up Windows	250	(3)
Part 3 Design Specifications and Guidelines
Window Management
Selecting a Window Management Model	253	(2)
Presentation of Object or Task	253	(1)
Display Layout	254	(1)
Single-Document Window Interface	255	(1)
Workbooks	256	(2)
Workbook Design	257	(1)
Design Trade-offs	257	(1)
Web-Application Interface	258	(4)
Web-Style Design	258	(3)
Design Trade-offs	261	(1)
Projects	262	(2)
Project Design	262	(1)
Design Trade-offs	263	(1)
Multiple-Document Interface	264	(7)
MDI Design	264	(5)
Design Trade-offs	269	(2)
Integrating with the System
Using the File System	271	(6)
Location of Files	272	(2)
File Naming Conventions	274	(2)
Shared User Data Files	276	(1)
Disk Cleaners	276	(1)
Using the Registry	277	(14)
Registering New File Types	277	(4)
Registering Icons	281	(1)
Registering Commands	281	(2)
Supporting the New Command	283	(2)
Enabling Printing	285	(1)
Supporting Info Tips	285	(1)
Setting Other File Type Values	286	(1)
Taking Over a File Type	286	(1)
Registering NoOpen With	286	(1)
Registering Application State Information	287	(2)
Registering Application Path Information	289	(1)
Adding Features to File Types	290	(1)
Installation	291	(9)
Copying Files	292	(2)
Providing Access to Your Application	294	(1)
Designing Your Installation Program	295	(2)
Installing Fonts	297	(1)
Installing Your Application on a Network	297	(1)
Uninstalling Your Application	298	(1)
Supporting AutoPlay	299	(1)
Using System Settings and Notifications	300	(1)
Integrating with the Shell	300	(15)
Taskbar Integration	300	(3)
Control Panel Integration	303	(2)
Recycle Bin Integration	305	(1)
Creating Active Desktop Items	305	(1)
Creating Folder Web Views	306	(1)
Creating Themes	307	(2)
Creating System Sounds	309	(3)
Registering Sound Events	312	(1)
Creating Application Desktop Toolbars	313	(1)
Supporting Full-Screen Display	314	(1)
Using the Folder Metaphor	315	(1)
Supporting Network Computing	315	(1)
Supporting Hardware Devices	316	(1)
Supporting Multiple-Monitor Configuration Devices	317	(1)
Supporting Plug and Play	317	(2)
Working with Ole Embedded and Linked Objects
The Interaction Model	319	(2)
Creating Embedded and Linked Objects	321	(11)
Transferring Objects	321	(7)
Inserting New Objects	328	(4)
Displaying Objects	332	(2)
Selecting Objects	334	(4)
Accessing Commands for Selected Objects	336	(2)
Activating Objects	338	(2)
Outside-in Activation	338	(1)
Inside-out Activation	339	(1)
Container Control of Activation	339	(1)
Visual Editing of Embedded Objects	340	(15)
The Active Hatched Border	344	(1)
Menu Integration	345	(2)
Keyboard Interface Integration	347	(2)
Toolbars, Frame Adornments, and Palette Windows	349	(3)
Opening Embedded Objects	352	(3)
Editing a Linked Object	355	(4)
Automatic and Manual Updating	357	(1)
Operations and Links	357	(1)
Types and Links	358	(1)
Accessing Properties of Objects	359	(5)
The Properties Command	359	(3)
The Links Command	362	(2)
Converting Types	364	(2)
Using Handles	366	(1)
Displaying Messages	367	(4)
Object Application Messages	367	(1)
Status-Line Messages	368	(3)
User Assistance
User Assistance Road Map	371	(2)
Contextual Help	373	(8)
Context-Sensitive Help	373	(5)
ToolTips	378	(1)
Status Bar Messages	378	(2)
The Help Command Button	380	(1)
Procedural Help	381	(1)
Reference Help	382	(1)
Conceptual Help	383	(1)
HTML Help	384	(15)
The HTML Help Viewer	385	(1)
The Toolbar	386	(1)
The Navigation Pane	387	(8)
The Topics Pane	395	(1)
Help Topic Features	395	(4)
Wizards	399	(10)
Guidelines for Designing Wizards	399	(9)
Guidelines for Writing Text for Wizard Pages	408	(1)
Visual Design
Visual Communication	409	(8)
Color	413	(2)
Fonts	415	(1)
Dimensionality	416	(1)
Design of Visual Elements	417	(13)
Basic Border Styles	417	(2)
Window Border Style	419	(1)
Button Border Style	419	(2)
Field Border Style	421	(1)
Status Field Border Style	422	(1)
Grouping Border Style	422	(1)
Visual States for Controls	423	(7)
User Interface Text	430	(18)
Font and Size	430	(2)
The Basics of Writing Interface Text	432	(14)
Title Bars	446	(2)
Layout	448	(10)
Size	448	(3)
Spacing and Positioning	451	(3)
Grouping	454	(1)
Alignment	455	(1)
Required and Optional Input	456	(1)
Preview and Sample Boxes	457	(1)
Design of Graphic Images	458	(11)
Icon Design	459	(4)
Toolbar Button Image Design	463	(2)
Common Toolbar Buttons	465	(3)
Pointer Design	468	(1)
Selection Appearance	469	(3)
Highlighting	470	(1)
Handles	471	(1)
Transfer Appearance	472	(1)
Open Appearance	473	(1)
Link Appearance	474	(1)
Animation	475	(2)
Special Design Considerations
Sound	477	(2)
Accessibility	479	(15)
Types of Disabilities	480	(2)
Types of Accessibility Aids	482	(2)
Compatibility with Screen-Review Utilities	484	(3)
The User's Point of Focus	487	(1)
Timing and Navigational Interfaces	488	(1)
Color	489	(1)
Scalability	489	(1)
Keyboard and Mouse Interface	490	(1)
Accessible HTML Pages	491	(1)
Documentation, Packaging, and Support	492	(1)
Usability Testing	493	(1)
Localization	494	(1)
Text	495	(3)
Layout	498	(7)
Graphics	505	(1)
Keyboards	506	(1)
Character Sets	507	(1)
Formats	507	(1)
Access Key Definition	508	(1)
References to Unsupported Features	508	(1)
Other Issues	509