Summary and Analysis
by Jin Tong
Graphical User Interfaces by Aaron Marcus
(Chapter 19 from Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction)
Summary
This is a complete chapter from Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction,
devoted to Graphical User Interfaces. Drawing examples mostly from popular
commercial GUI (window) systems, this chapter discussed architecture and
elements of such window systems, window management, followed by a section
on GUI design guidelines and tips. Some highlights of the chapter are as
follows:
-
Survey of Windowing Systems
A brief description of Macintosh, NeXTStep, OpenLOOK, OSF/Motif, Microsoft
Windows and OS/2 Presentation Managers gave some background and examples
of windows, icons, menus and pointing devices (WIMPs) windowing
systems.
-
Windowing System Architectures
2 major approaches to windowing graphics implementation are kernel-based
Vs. client-server based. The trade-off between these 2 is speed Vs. portability.
-
Window Management Styles
Tiled, overlapping and cascading. It seems that industry practice has
favored overlapping windowing management.
-
Windowing System Components
The basic elements of a window system are: windows, menus, controls,
various types of dialogue boxes, mouse and keyboard interfaces.
-
GUI Design Guidelines
There are certain design characteristics a GUI design must address,
these are metaphor, mental model, navigation, appearance, and interaction.
The author did give a long list of guidelines on how to use GUI components
to achieve the 3 key principles of GUI design: good organization, economy,
and good communication channels between the system and the users. Recommendations
are given on how to use layout, typography, symbolism and color more effectively,
including a 2-page discussion on the use of colors to enhance communication.
-
Rules of Thumb for GUI Design The author summarized an internet
survey result from professionals on GUI design tips. These tips are on
general usability of software, but most can be applied to GUI design.
Interesting Points (or things I am surprised at)
-
Macintosh has its GUI code implemented in ROM.
-
(from Rules of Thumb) Things that look the same should act the same. (Rated
No.2 in tips)
-
(from Rules of Thumb) Things that look different should act different.
(Rated No.19 in tips)
Things I Liked
-
The history and comparison of various "standard" commercial window systems.
-
The list of "Rules of Thumb".
-
Some tips about using colors. For example, color combination: now I know
why red/green combination is ugly because they are simultaneously high-chroma,
spectrally extreme.
Problems
-
I don't like the organization of the writing. It appeared confusing. This
is most evident in section 19.7. The subsections could be better grouped.
-
The captions of the illustrations often do not say much about the figures
at all. With the xeroxed copy, it is often hard to figure out why these
figures were used and what they meant.
Questions
-
About keyboard interfaces in GUIs. My personal experience is that I can
live without a pointing device (in Microsoft Windows, for example), but
can't live without keyboard short-cuts. Is this kind of extensive keyboard
support also available in Mac, NeXT, etc.?
-
What is the impact of the Web on graphical interface to computing? It seems
the nature of web interface is more suited for and hence leading to more
interactive and collaborative computing environment. What is the necessary
GUI tool-set that web interface must provide to make this computing environment
more convenient and productive?