[Sigia-l] functional screen resolution + wireframes sizing

[Todd Warfel]

On Jun 28, 2005, at 10:13 AM, Giovanni Fortezza wrote:

> I think those days are really over. Most laptops and computers can  
> display
> resolutions far greater than 1024x768. I don't even see many users  
> slightly
> minimizing either.

Well, we've found something different.

First, let me preference this with saying that we're not targeting  
screen resolution for Web-based apps, we should be targeting browser  
window resolution, which is often different. Now, if you're doing an  
RIA, or Thick Client app, then it's a bit different.

So, that being said, we've seen that while most people can run their  
screens at 1024x768 or higher, they don't run their browsers in full  
screen mode. Here's a few trends we've noticed in our field research  
and usability testing done in the field instead of in a lab...

1. Larger screens with higher resolutions are becoming more  
prominent. It's very typical to see 15"-17" flat panels, or 17" CRTs  
in the past 3-5 years than we saw 5-10 years ago.

2. As screens increase, that doesn't mean that the audiences are  
running them at the higher resolutions.
2a. Audiences that run them at higher resolutions - design and  
science. Graphic designers tend to like to cram as much on screen as  
possible. Scientists that run statistical analysis and monitoring  
programs tend to be right behind them.
2b. Audiences that run bigger screens at lower resolutions -  
academia, age 45+, or general public over 50. They typically  
contribute this to poorer eyesight (academics tend to read more,  
which degrades their eyesight faster)

3. Mac users are less likely to run apps full screen. Apps on the Mac  
have never had an "application window" so this concept is a bit  
foreign to them. And their documents don't run full screen by default.

4. Windows users are becoming less likely to run apps full screen,  
sometimes. On 15" screens, they're more likely to run full screen.  
Larger than 15", less likely. Influencers here - with the larger  
screens, they like to use the extra space to look across apps (as Mac  
users have been used to) and additionally, this is key, Windows has  
changed the default to not launching apps full screen. So, Win users  
are becoming accustom to not seeing things full screen.

These are just the trends we've noticed in the past 5 years or so.  
Recently, I had a discussion with two other industry professionals  
who have been tracking this and noticed similar patterns. One is for  
a very, very large brick and morter and eCommerce site. They've  
actually been tracking this based on browser window size w/a nifty  
JavaScript.

Overall, we should be targeting the used screen resolution of the  
app. So, if it's browser-based, then it should be the browser window.  
If it's full screen, then it should be the screen resolution. In our  
case, most of the time, it's web-based. So, you should be targeting  
the web browser window resolution (typically 800x600, or 760x520 is  
what we use).

Cheers!

Todd R. Warfel
Partner, Design & Usability Specialist
Messagefirst | making products & services easier to use
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