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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Kcontrol proposal - screenshot
From:       Waldo Bastian <bastian () kde ! org>
Date:       2002-09-08 22:58:32
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On Sunday 08 September 2002 12:35 pm, Simon Edwards wrote:
> On Thursday 05 September 2002 21:37, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> > On Thursday 05 September 2002 01:11, Waldo Bastian wrote:
> > > What do you mean with "nested groups"? A 3 level hierarchy? Why is that
> > > so bad?
> >
> > because users grapple with trees as it is, making them deep trees makes
> > the problem quite a bit worse. at least according to the stuff i've been
> > reading about trees.
>
> http://www.sapdesignguild.org/community/design/hierarchies.asp
>
> Go down to "People and Hierarchies" for more info on this topic. Replacing
> depth with breadth is a recommended strategy for making trees easier for
> people. If depth is becoming a problem we might have to consider adding
> more items on the top level.

I think the biggest problem in the control center is:

"The Underestimated Importance of Category Names

Category names are more important than many developers believe. From a user's 
point of view, however, well-chosen category names are essential for them 
when searching items in a data set. Names or labels may be responsible for a 
user's success or failure at finding an item. Much time can be wasted if 
users randomly browse data sets without any sense of orientation. Even more 
time is wasted if they fail altogether to find what they are looking for."

But that is what we are currently working on.

One of the complaints against hierarchies that gets mentioned is: "Deeply 
nested hierarchies cause even more problems because people get 
disorientated." But I don't think that applies very much to a 3-level 
hierarchy, that's hardly "deeply nested". Also the risk of getting 
"disoriented" is greatly reduced IMO with the treeview because it shows the 
user where (s)he is at all times.

The other complaint against hierarchies is that dymanic hierarchies are 
disorienting. But the control center isn't dynamic it is very static. (And 
after 3.1 it will hopefully not change in any major way for several releases)

Cheers,
Waldo
- -- 
bastian@kde.org  |   SuSE Labs KDE Developer  |  bastian@suse.com
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