Projects/Usability/HIG

Structure

Conceptual Model

• Real World, Vision

Task Flow

• Core usability goals, Use cases / User requirements, Task aggregation
• Personas, Scenarios, Usability criteria, Feature list

Organizational Model

• Terminology
• Information architecture, Interface management, Window style, Basic arrangement, Screen design, Design Pattern
• central configuration (content tbd.)
• Notification mechanism (content tbd.)
• Minimize to tray (perhaps at behaviour>navigation)

Behaviour

Viewing and Navigation

General navigation

• Dialogs
• Accordion
• Tabs and Pages in Dialogs
• Toolbar
• Status bar
• Paging

Access functions

• Menu Bar
• Buttons
  • Toggle Buttons
• Links
• Keyboard Access
  • Keyboard Accelerators
  • Keyboard Shortcuts

Grouping

• Group box, Panel
• Splitter

Complex views

• Use a List View to show some items out of one category.
• Tree view
• Grids
• If you really need to create your own widget follow the guidelines for custom controls.

Editing and Manipulation

Selection

• Use a radio button for 1 of a few n selections.
• Use one or more check boxes for clear options or n of a few m selections.
• Use a list view for one or a few n of some m selections.
• Use a drop-down list for 1 of some n selection and a combo box if users should be able to add items.
• Use the dual list pattern for n of m selections.

Unconstrained input

• To enter one line of text use a line edit and for multiple lines of texts a text edit.
• Consider to provide inline editing with complex views.

Constrained input

• Use a Spin Box for numerical input within a range and with fix steps.
• Use a Slider for arbitrary changes within a defined range.
• (Under construction): Numeric input with both large changes and precise control: Slider and Spin Box
• Use Date and Time Pickers for formatted input of datum, time of day, or periods etc.

User Assistance

User-driven information

• Provide tool-tips for user driven information.

System triggered notification

• Provide a message panel to inform users about non-critical problems.
• Use a notification as system-triggered message to acknowledge about events out of the current context.
• Show a progress indicator for lengthy actions.

Disruptive messages

• Show a modal message dialog if the processing has reached an unexpected condition that needs interaction.

Help system

• Support the user by an elaborated interface or per help system.

Presentation

Layout

• Resizing
• Default and minimal size
• Spacing
• Alignment & Placement
  • Forms: Label Alignment
• Do not use color as primary method of communication.
• Icons

Text

• Language localizations
• Static text
• Control Labels
  • KNewStuff Button Labels
• Wording
• Ellipsis
• Capitalization
• Contractions (don't, there's, etc.)
• Exclamation Points

See also:

• HIG for Plasma Active
• HIG for Plasma Netbook

Contributing

Didn't find what you were looking for?

A guide to the guide can be found at the about page.

Our Human Interface Guidelines are a work in progress and we need your help. Visit the Contributing page to report problems or get involved.

Index

B

• Buttons

C

• Capitalization
• Contractions (don't, there's, etc.)
• Check Box
• Combo Box

D

• Date and Time Pickers
• Dialogs

E

• Ellipsis
• Exclamation Points

F

• Forms: Label Alignment

K

• KNewStuff Button Labels
• Keyboard Accelerators
• Keyboard Shortcuts

L

• Labels
• List Views

M

• Menu Bar
• Messages

R

• Radio Buttons

S

• Slider
• Slider and Spin Box
• Spin Box

T

• Tabs and Pages in Dialogs
• Toggle Buttons

W

• Wording

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Legacy Stuff

List Views

Please add any guidelines questions or requests to the HIG Questions page.

Also see the Season of Usability HIG & Design Patterns Workspace.