Datasheet

Rooms
Allowing users to work in an environment that focuses just on the single task that they are per-
forming without the distraction of other environments is a big asset. Rooms are big windows laid
out for the different features of the application. Rooms can give the feeling of spaciousness in the
design, just as many big rooms in a house can make a house feel spacious and opulent. So you may
want to give the user lots of rooms.
The design of each room should display its functionality. For example, whatever tools you offer
specifically for a room should probably be large and prominently displayed so that when the user
chooses a room, the functionality of the room is obvious. Perhaps only the tools or objects needed
for the user’s current task are visible, so that everything in the room is geared to the task at hand.
Minimized interfaces
Offering users the tools they need when they need them may simplify a user interface and increase
user productivity and satisfaction. Tools, controls, and menus can pop up when the user needs
them (as shown in Figure 1.16) and disappear when the user doesn’t need them.
FIGURE 1.16
Pop-up menus like the ones shown here in the 3D modeling program Poser can help minimize the user
interface until it’s needed.
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Designing Next-Generation User Experiences
Part I
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