Specifications

20 | USER INTERFACE
DESIGN GUIDE
Animation
Animation can illustrate the operation of a particular tool or reflect a particular state. It can also be used to include an
element of fun in your interface. You can use animation effects for objects within a window and interface elements, such as
icons and buttons. Avoid gratuitous use of animation. When animation is used only for a decorative effect, it can distract or
annoy the user.
Typography
Limit the number of fonts and styles you use in your interface. As with too many colors, using too many fonts results in visual
clutter. Use bold fonts sparingly. While bold text attracts attention, overusing it can distract the user and make it difficult
to focus on what is important. Limit its use to titles, headings and key items that should have the user’s attention. Similarly,
limit your use of italic text. Used in isolation, italics may attract attention, but in general it can decrease the emphasis on the
information and make the text less readable.
Sans serif fonts such as Arial are recommended for touch panel design due to their clean look and ease of readability
(see Fig. 6.) For buttons and icon text with no accompanying icon, font sizes should be no smaller than 10 points up to a
maximum size of 42 points for large icon text such as a keypad. If a font is used to further define an icon, then the minimum
size is 8 points. Headline and title bar text should typically be 14-16 points in size. Use a consistent font for common
interface elements for visual consistency.
Figure 6