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GUI Review Revisited: Google® Navigation

May 12th, 2012 | Add a Comment

In keeping with the frequent changes found in the navigation of Google® web applications, multiple changes have occurred in the short time since my GUI Review: Google® Navigation posted in March. (Actually, the changes appeared in advance of my post, but I usually have my articles scheduled to post automatically several weeks ahead of time.) Unfortunately, some of the inconsistencies shown in that original review are now even worse. The changes revolve around the new Play option which now combines the previous Android Market, Google Music and the Google eBookstore. Google Music was specifically noted in the previous review. As a brief review, Figure 1 shows the Google Navigation bar when using Gmail. Note that “Gmail” at the far right is displayed with text that is white, indicating that it is the current selection, but the … Read entire article »

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GUI Design Revisited part II: Remember Me?

The very first article I posted for this blog was entitled Remember Me? in reference to a web site that inserted a new Remember Me? control into the login of their web site. I hereby declare that the phrase “Remember Me?” now references the fact that we become accustomed to GUI layouts and that designers need to Remember Us whenever they consider making changes! We — the users of their products, the reason for their existence, success, and future — need to be remembered before design changes are made. Designers: please don’t make us dislike you! We should not feel the need to ask you, “Remember Me?” each time you redesign your user interface. Some months after that original article, … Read entire article »

GUI Design: Keeping Tabs

When I use the expression Keeping Tabs I mean the opposite of Losing Tabs—that is, specifically, losing the current location of focus when using the [Tab] key for navigation. Many web sites and web apps seem to no longer have any concern for this functionality. The [Tab] key on a keyboard was originally meant as an abbreviation for Tabulator, to be used for data alignment in columns, but GUIs have long used the [Tab] key to move between controls. I can’t understand why such a basic standard is ignored.   INVISIBLE FOCUS The CNN® web site found at cnn.com is an example of a GUI where the focus is hidden at all times. The only available clue about the current focus is … Read entire article »

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