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Subject: Sigia-l Digest, Vol 5, Issue 23

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Multi column forms in web based applications (Anders Ramsay)
   2. Re: Multi column forms in web based applications (Stacy Surla)
   3. RE: Multi column forms in web based applications (Torrie Hodgson)
   4. Call for Paper Prototypes - Wireframes (Todd R.Warfel)
   5. Local IA Groups (Jason Pryslak)
   6. Exercises to teach IA (Peter Van Dijck)
   7. Re: Exercises to teach IA (Alfred Werner)
   8. Internationalization/Globalization/Localization help	needed
      (Angela Azzolino)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 12:08:07 -0500
From: Anders Ramsay <andersr at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Multi column forms in web based applications
To: "Jessica.Sprague at lawson.com" <Jessica.Sprague at lawson.com>
Cc: sigia-l at asis.org
Message-ID: <6574f85405021709084ce8b2b6 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 10:54:35 -0600, Jessica.Sprague at lawson.com
<Jessica.Sprague at lawson.com> wrote:
> Hi Chris,
> 
> We have the same issue here, and sometimes 50+ fields is just unavoidable,
> given the complexity of some applications. (We have applications where 50+
> fields is just the header, followed by 5 other pages of detail, so
> breaking up the big one at the front is of only negligible value.)

Have you (or Chris) considered if it really makese sense for these
applications to be even be web-based?   Massive amounts of data entry
in a business context smells like a desktop app to me...

 - Anders

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 12:49:16 -0500
From: "Stacy Surla" <ssurla at mitre.org>
Subject: [Sigia-l] Re: Multi column forms in web based applications
To: <sigia-l at asis.org>
Message-ID: <200502171749.j1HHnPf30753 at smtp-bedford-dr.mitre.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Chris, I know you are asking specifically about single vs multi column
layouts.  But you might want to also consider how often the online form will
be used and by whom.  If used on a regular basis by the same people, then a
more "form-like" form is appropriate (easy to enter massive amounts of data
repetitively).  If only used occasionally, then a more "interview-like"
approach would work (broken out into multiple pages and so on).  Either way,
the points on information design brought up by the other folks are
important.

~Stacy

------------------------------------------
Stacy Surla
Information Architect, Content Management & Stewardship
R305/Information Management & Practice
The MITRE Corporation

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:58:24 -0500, Chris Daly <chrisdalynyc at gmail.com>
wrote:
...
> I read through the archives and found some nice comments about Form
> design - however I couldn't much research around form layout/design
> that pitted a single column format against multi-column format.
...

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 18:53:05 +0000
From: "Torrie Hodgson" <torriehodgson at hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: [Sigia-l] Multi column forms in web based applications
To: sigia-l at asis.org
Message-ID: <BAY21-F40CC1E23C781AC03CFE5B1AE6D0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Hi,

If the form has 50+ fields, and is one that is used infrequently (instead of 
like a mass data-entry form used many times in an hour), I would probably 
use a single column and multiple pages with separate submit buttons.

My reasoning is that if the user is entering data in 50+ fields, it's 
heartbreaking when something goes awry before it's submitted and all that 
work has to be done over. Breaking it into pieces makes it more likely that 
all the data for the page is entered before timing out, or that a single 
page of 10-15 fields of data is easier to re-enter/recover than 50.

Multiple pages of a single column is better for data integrity too, 
especially if the user is likely to get distracted while using the form, 
like someone who often takes customer calls. It's also helpful if the user 
will need to look up other information to complete the form, like finding a 
phone number, annual income, or whatever he might not already have in the 
forefront of his brain.

A single column also makes it easier for the user to know which direction to 
move (do I go down or right for the next part?), and it is less confusing 
when their browser is configured to either display a small window or really 
big text. Everything that he needs to worry about starts at the left margin 
so there's no way he can miss "hidden" fields on the right.

A single column can also help avoid confusion if you have optional links on 
the right, like search or other tools that can appear to be too similar to 
the other text/drop-down boxes, even if those optional items only appear in 
other parts of the app or site.

These are all lessons I learned while sneakily creating a modular 
dynamically-generated corporate intranet, with a captive IE audience and 
some training prepared for the end users. I hope they might help you in your 
situation.

Torrie Hodgson, MLS
torriehodgson at hotmail.com

>- I am part of a team that is creating a fairly complex form oriented
>web-based application.
>- The end user group is a pretty controlled environment (IE - just
>employees, and only after some training).
>- Many of the forms in question have 50+ fields (each with a field
>descriptor and an entry box/pulldown/radio button etc.
>
>I'll be honest, my stance is to stick with the single column format
>because all the evidence I've seen is that it is easier to work with,
>train, and adapt for future fields and changes.
>
>.christopher daly
>NYC

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:32:27 -0500
From: Todd R.Warfel <lists at toddwarfel.com>
Subject: [Sigia-l] Call for Paper Prototypes - Wireframes
To: Interaction Designers <discuss at interactiondesigners.com>,	'AIFIA
	Members' <aifia-members at lists.ibiblio.org>,	SIGIA-L l
	<sigia-l at asis.org>
Message-ID: <ad5a51354fb4cb1b3687d45d0632c03b at toddwarfel.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

I'm doing a workshop on Paper Prototyping at the Summit this year 
(There's still time to sign up 
http://iasummit.org/2005/preconferencedescrip.htm#paperprototype). And 
I'd like to invite any of you who would like to submit samples of items 
you'd like to have tested during the workshop.

I can't guarantee that we'll test them all, but this is an opportunity 
for you to submit some samples and see how paper prototyping can help 
you make design decisions, or improve your current designs.

Samples should be sent in PDF or PPT formats.

The workshop will be very hands on and is going to be held the first 
pre-conf day on March 3rd.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Cheers!

Todd R. Warfel
Partner, Design & Usability Specialist
MessageFirst | making products easier to use
--------------------------------------
Contact Info
V: 		(607) 339-9640
E: 		twarfel at messagefirst.com
W: 		messagefirst.com
AIM: 		twarfel at mac.com
--------------------------------------
In theory, theory and practice are the same.
In practice, they are not.

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 16:50:16 -0500
From: Jason Pryslak <jpryslak at gmail.com>
Subject: [Sigia-l] Local IA Groups
To: Sigia-l at asis.org
Message-ID: <8f6825c105021713507b03cac1 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

A new section has been posted to the AIfIA site. The Local IA Groups
Initiative has been hard at work trying to create a resource that
could help anyone interested in creating a local group.

We scoured the net for some helpful resources, we surveyed seasoned
local group coordinators, and we addressed some of the challenges
faced by people trying to coordinate local discussions around IA.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is a local IA group?
They've been called Local Groups, Cocktail Hours, Salons, F2F, etc.
The main idea is that a group of people get together regularly
(monthly, quarterly, etc.) to discuss IA related topics.

============================================
Information Architecture Institute (IAI) Local Groups Resources:
http://www.aifia.org/localgroups/
============================================

This initiative is coordinated by Jason Pryslak and Samantha Starmer
with guidance from Lou Rosenfeld and with the input of group
coordinators from around the world.

hope you enjoy :)

regards,

Jason

------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 16:27:31 +0100
From: Peter Van Dijck <peter at poorbuthappy.com>
Subject: [Sigia-l] Exercises to teach IA
To: sigia-l at asis.org, aifia-members at lists.ibiblio.org
Message-ID: <4214B7E3.8030600 at poorbuthappy.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

(Apologies for cross-posting)

Hi all,
I am looking for resources/examples of successful exercises to give in 
IA workshops. Taxonomy exercises, exercises to get faceted 
classification, and so on. What exercises have you given that work, and 
which ones didn't work?

Thanks!

Peter
http://petervandijck.net

------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 09:35:26 -0500 (EST)
From: Alfred Werner <alfred at thunderstick.com>
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Exercises to teach IA
To: Peter Van Dijck <peter at poorbuthappy.com>
Cc: aifia-members at lists.ibiblio.org, sigia-l at asis.org
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0502180932580.16463 at mail.thunderstick.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

I like lowtech/off computer stuff to get people going -

How about a word association game to loosen everyone up? You start
by saying a word and each person in the room does an association
with the previous word.

Bring some boxes with balls, pieces of cloth, magazine clippings, jacks,
and other random stuff and have people put them into piles and then
justify their sorting criteria.

Alfred Werner
Schemathings, LLC

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005, Peter Van Dijck wrote:

> (Apologies for cross-posting)
>
> Hi all,
> I am looking for resources/examples of successful exercises to give in
> IA workshops. Taxonomy exercises, exercises to get faceted
> classification, and so on. What exercises have you given that work, and
> which ones didn't work?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Peter
> http://petervandijck.net
>
>
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------------------------------

Message: 8
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 11:00:07 -0500
From: Angela Azzolino <landshark at gmail.com>
Subject: [Sigia-l] Internationalization/Globalization/Localization
	help	needed
To: sigia-l at asis.org
Message-ID: <e6591e4b05021808004ba834c6 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hello Everyone.
I need to evaluate usability of several career sites. All of the sites
have an international component, which is what my evaluation is
focusing on. All of the sites are part of larger American company
sites. Can anyone point me to UI resources that outline standards
specifically for international audiences? I'm currently looking to
Aaron Marcus and Emile Gould article titled: Cultural Dimensions and
Global Web User-Interface Design: What? So What? Now What?

Many thanks in advance
Angela

------------------------------

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