chap16 - designing effective input

8/9/2019 Chap16 - Designing Effective Input

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Chapter 16Designing Effective Input

Systems Analysis and DesignKendall and Kendall

Fifth Edition


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Kendall & Kendall Copyright 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc. 16-2

Major Topics

Input designForm designScreen designMicrocomputer/mainframe differences

GUI screen designGUI controlsWeb design guidelines


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Input Design Objectives

The quality of system input determinesthe quality of system output

Well-designed input objectivesEffectiveness

Accuracy

Ease of useConsistencySimplicity

Attractiveness


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Form Design

Guidelines for good form designMake forms easy to fill outEnsure that forms meet the purpose forwhich they are designedDesign forms to assure accurate

completionKeep forms attractive


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Form Completion

To make forms easy to fill out, thefollowing techniques are used:

First, design forms with proper flow, fromleft to right and top to bottomSecond, group information logically using

the seven sections of a formThird, provide people with clear captions

Captions tell the person completing the formwhat to put on a blank line, space, or box


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Seven Sections of a Form

The seven sections of a formHeadingIdentification and accessInstructionsBody

Signature and verificationTotalsComments


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Caption Types

Captions may be one of the following:Line caption, putting the caption on thesame line or below the lineBoxed caption, providing a box for datainstead of a line

Vertical check off, lining up choices oralternatives verticallyHorizontal check off, lining up choices oralternatives horizontally



Meeting the Intended Purpose

Systems analysts may use different typesof specialty forms for different purposes

Specialty forms can also mean formsprepared by a stationerThe disadvantages of the specialty formsare

High costUsers can get bogged down with the red tapegenerated by meaningless multiple-part forms



Ensuring Accurate Completion

To reduce error rates associated withdata collection, forms should bedesigned to assure accurate completionDesign forms to make people do theright thing with the formTo encourage people to completeforms, systems analysts should keepforms attractive



Attractive Forms

To be more attractive, forms shouldlook uncluttered, and elicit informationin the expected order

Aesthetic forms or usage of differentfonts within the same form can helpmake it more attractive



Form Spacing

Computer printer entries require aminimum of 1/6-inch spacing betweenlinesHandwritten entries requireapproximately 1/4 inchWhen forms are completed by eitherhand or by a printer, allow about 1/3-inch intervals between lines



Microcomputer Form DesignSoftware

Numerous microcomputer form designsoftware is availableFeatures of electronic form designsoftware

Ability to design paper, electronic, or Web-

based formsForm design using templatesForm design by cutting and pasting familiar

shapes and objects




Further form design software featuresFacilitates completion through the use of softwarePermits customized menus, toolbars,keyboards, and macros

Supports popular databasesEnables broadcasting of electronic formsPermits sequential routing of forms




Further form design software features Assists form trackingEncourages automatic delivery andprocessingEstablishes security for electronic forms


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Controlling Business Forms

Controlling forms includeMaking sure that each form in use fulfillsits specific purposeThat the specified purpose is integral toorganizational functioning

Preventing duplication of informationcollected and the forms that collect itDesigning effective forms


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Controlling Business Forms

Controlling forms include (continued)Deciding on how to get forms reproducedin the most economical wayEstablishing stock control and inventoryprocedures that make forms available

when needed, at the lowest possible cost


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Screen Design Guidelines

Guidelines for good screen designFirst, keep the screen simpleSecond, keep the screen presentationconsistentThird, facilitate user movement among

screensFinally, create an attractive screen


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Three Screen Sections

To keep the screen simple, it is dividedinto three sections:

HeadingBodyComments and instructions


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Screen Design Concepts forSimplicity

Displaying a few necessary basiccommands using windows or hyperlinksis another way to keep screens simpleFor the occasional user, only 50 percentof the screen should contain useful

informationFor the regular user, up to 90 percentof the screen may contain information


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Screen Design Concepts forSimplicity

Simplistic design includes maximizing orminimizing the window size as neededClicking the right mouse button is oftenused to display more options for thewindow


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Consistency

Consistency is achieved by displayinginformation in the same area or bygrouping information logicallyConsistency means using the sameterms and acronyms on several screens


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Facilitating Movement

Guidelines for facilitating movementfrom one screen to another

Scrolling the screen back and forthCalling up another screen for more detailUsing onscreen dialogue through the

promptsWeb pages may use buttons or commandsto facilitate scrolling and screen movement


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Facilitating Movement

Further guidelinesThe three clicks rule says that users shouldbe able to get to the screens they needwithin three mouse or keyboard clicksCharacter-based screens scroll bydisplaying new screens, using standardfunction keysGUI screens should not scrollWeb screens often scroll


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Designing an Attractive Screen

To make the screen attractive useDifferent thickness of separation linesbetween subcategoriesInverse video and blinking cursorsIcons which are pictorial onscreen

representations symbolizing computeractionsDifferent combinations of colorsDifferent type fonts


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Microcomputer and MainframeDifferences

Microcomputer and mainframecomputers have the followingdifferences in their operation:Microcomputers

Respond to any keystroke

Define fields without attribute charactersRequire no space between screen fields


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Mainframe Computers

Mainframe computersRespond when an Attention IDentifier(AID) key is pressedDefine screen fields using attributecharacters

The attribute character takes up onescreen position for each field


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Attribute Characters

Attribute characters indicateProtectionIntensityShiftExtended attributes


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Using Icons in Screen Design

Icons are used in graphical screens torun programs and execute commandsGraphical User Interface (GUI) are usedin conjunction with a mouse for makingselections and entering data


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Graphical User Interface (GUI)Controls

GUI controls or fieldsText boxes

Check boxesOption or radio buttonsList and drop-down list boxes

Sliders and spin buttonsImage mapsText area

Message boxes


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Text Boxes

Text boxes should be large enough toaccommodate all the field charactersCaptions should be to the left of thetext boxCharacter data should be left alignedwithin the boxNumeric data right aligned


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Check Boxes

Check boxes are used for nonexclusivechoicesCaptions are placed to the right of thecheck boxIf there are more than 10 check boxes,group with a border or white space


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Option Buttons and Drop-downList Boxes

Option or radio buttons are used formutually exclusive choicesOften they are placed in a border calledan option groupList and drop-down list boxes are usedto select one choice out of many


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Sliders, Spin Buttons, andImage Maps

Sliders and spin buttons are used tochange data that have a continuous

range of valuesThey are often accompanied by a textbox for entering exact numerical values

Image maps are used to select valueswithin an imageThe x and y coordinates are sent to theprogram


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Text Area

A text area is used for entering a largeramount of text

These areas may have text that wrapswhen the text reaches the end of thebox

There are two ways to handle the textHard return is used to force new linesUse word wrap within the text area


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Message Boxes and CommandButtons

Message boxes are used to displaywarning and other messages in adialogue box

They have an OK button or an OK and aCancel button

Command buttons perform an actionThe text is centered inside the button


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Tab Control Dialogue Boxes

Tab control dialog boxes help organizeGUI features (controls) for usersEach tab dialog box should have threebasic buttons:

OK

CancelHelp


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Web Page Dialogue Boxes

A new type of dialogue box has the look and feel of a Web pageButtons are called places and arehyperlinked to items a user would wishto access


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Color

The five most legibleforeground/background color

combinations for display monitors areBlack on yellowGreen on white

Blue on whiteWhite on blue

Yellow on black


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Skins

Skins are graphical overlays that allowcustomers to change the appearance of

a Web site depending on theirpreferences for a particular kind of image


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Internet and Intranet DesignGuidelines

Guidelines for creating intranet andInternet input pages

Use a variety of text boxes, push buttons,radio buttons, drop-down lists, and otherGUI features

Provide clear instructionsInclude radio buttons when users mustmake a bipolar choice


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Further intranet/Internet guidelinesUse check boxes to test conditions to true

or untrueUse a logical entry sequence for fill-informs

Include two basic buttons: Submit andClear


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Further intranet/Internet guidelinesCreate a feedback screen that lists error

messages if a form has not correctly beenfilled outProvide a scrolling text box if you areuncertain how much text will be enteredIf the form is lengthy, divide it into severalsimpler forms on separate pages


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Ecommerce Applications

Ecommerce applications involve morethan just good Web site design

Customers need to be confident of thesite, including privacy and security

chap16 - designing effective input

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