信息组织架构信息组织架构54uxmatters-FashionableWebFormsTrapsandTips(3).docxVIP

Sliders “Most sliders on the Web don’t offer such graduated settings. Instead they just provide an alternative way of choosing from among a limited set of predefined options.” The standard set of form controls—text boxes, radio buttons, check boxes, and drop-down list boxes—has served us well for many years. However, recently a new form widget has surged in popularity: the slider. I say neweven though, in the physical world, slider controls have been around for many decades, on everything from air conditioning units to graphic equalizers. In the physical world, sliders are similar to knobs: they enable selection along a continuous range. For something fine grained, like adjusting the amount of treble or bass on a sound system, this is an appropriate control. But most sliders on the Web don’t offer such graduated settings. Instead they just provide an alternative way of choosing from among a limited set of predefined options. Figure 6 shows an example of just such a case. A user must choose one of eight different amounts. Giving these options in a list box would make this user interface more usable and accessible. Figure 6—A slider with only eight discrete options where a list box would be preferable When users must choose among a relatively small set of predefined options, the use of a list box is preferable for the following reasons: The control itself communicates to users that they can select just one option from a predefined set, whereas a slider suggests a continuum of options. Users can manipulate list boxes using either the keyboard or the mouse, whereas sliders usually require mouse manipulation. Users are more familiar with list boxes and know how to operate them. List boxes are highly accessible. Interestingly, Australia’s number one job site SEEK tested the use of a slider in place of a pair of list boxes. The SEEK home page primarily facilitates users’ searching for a job, including setting their desired salary range, as shown in Figure 7. Figure 7—SEEK