Menu
From MobileDesign
[edit] Applies to:
User Interface: Included,
Excluded
Hardware: Category: Thing,
Category: Another thing
A menu is a list of commands. It can be the main screen of an application, or a set of commands applicable to an item or part of the application.
[edit] Design
If the number of actions available for a given screen exceeds ten, divide the list into frequent and infrequent commands, where the number of frequent commands is eight or fewer. Provide numbered access to the frequent commands, and unnumbered, or even submenu, access to the infrequent commands. The image to the right illustrates a mix of frequent and infrequent commands.
If a command is used in multiple places across the application, and is frequently used, keep both the label and the number the same throughout. This policy increases learnability for the entire application. The second picture illustrates common commands with the same numbers, even though the numbers are not consecutive.
Limit the number of commands listed on a page to roughly fifteen. Keep frequent commands clustered together at the top of the list.
Gmail commands replicated in the inbox have the same number, even though the numbers are not consecutive. >>Exception: if the device has an alphabetic keyboard and the platform supports letter input, construct the menu with appropriate alphabetic shortcuts instead. Limit the list to the number of items that can reasonably be displayed and mapped to letters. Any additional items should be relegated to "More", "Other", or the equivalent.
[edit] Applicable Devices and Platforms
All scroll-and-select devices with platforms that support button input for navigation.
[edit] When Used
Use in menus where the user may want to build expertise, navigating quickly using numbers rather than scrolling.
Numbered access to commands applies to any application using a page model rather than a screen model, in which vertical scrolling is assumed. This includes most list-based applications. Numbered access can be used on a non-scrolling application, but the incremental value of the numbers is lower.
[edit] Rationale
Keypresses should be kept to a minimum for common actions. Unlike a desktop, a keypress is not simply a mouse click, but the number of times the cursor has to be moved to get to a command, then the command itself. For a Gmail message, for example, getting to "Archive" or "Next Message" can be ten or more keypresses. Numbered access allows that to be one keypress, although it is restricted to users who choose to learn more about the application. On the other hand, numbers do not harm usability by novices and indeed provide visual cues that certain commands are somehow different.
Keeping items clustered based on frequency is a standard heuristic for screen and control panel layout inherited from human factors. It restricts the area users have to scan for the most common items. Structure within the frequent commands can reduce scan time further.
Also see: Any that apply, Else remove it entirely
