Interaction

Navigation | User Input | Content | Messages

Navigation

  • Provide contextual information to ensure users will not get lost while navigating through the screens.
  • Provide a Back option to allow users to go back to the previous menu used and to the last application menu they visited.
  • Provide a Cancel option to allow users to cancel the operation they are in (except in some special cases due to underlying business rules).

 

User Input

  • Set a default focus on each screen.
  • The touch screen and keyboard should be used consistently.
  • Minimize text entry.

 

Content

  • Provide clear and concise content. Avoid redondancies.
  • Do not clutter the screen, but do provide as much relevant information as possible to reduce paging.
  • Use a vocabulary refering to users tasks and expectations, instead of user interface elements. For example, refer to the "Start" page or the "Home" page, instead of "Main Menu".
  • Provide links to appropriate content to complete a task without searching.
  • Due to performance and space issues, images should be avoided, except for logos.

 

Messages

Popups

  • Avoid interrupting users' workflow with popups.
  • You may use pop-ups for confirmation of important changes before exiting the application, and for severe errors like aborts that need direct user intervention.
  • For serious warnings, use the "LitePopup" introduced in the UMC, which is comparable to a java popup, but has several advantages on mobile devices.
  • Before using a confirmation popup for leaving a screen, consider alternative solutions, such as restoring data and providing an undo function.

Success Messages

  • Inform users that an action has been successfully completed if they cannot immediately see the effect of the action, or if it is part of a critical business function.
  • When appropriate, locate success messages on the footer.

Error Messages

  • An application should be programmed so that error messages do not occur. Therefore, consider preventing errors so that your application does not need error messages at all.
  • When appropriate, locate error messages on the footer.

 

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Source:  SAP Style Guide for Blue-Collar Worker PDAs