The following menu design study is being undertaken by the Triangle Freenet organizing group located in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Study Objective: The study seeks to not only identify the ease of use characteristics that a system must possess for the novice user, but the advanced function that an experienced user expects in order to navigate a system quickly and perform information retrieval efficiently. In the initial work session a number of systems, currently on line across the country, were reviewed in a group setting with the intent of identifying those attributes that contribute to the above objective. Dan Eddleman - Triangle Freenet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 04/06 Design Work Session Findings Log-In Menu 1. Should contain attractive Logo and space to give credit to major contributors. Main Menu 1. The Main Menu must provide the user with a strong sense of what's on the system and an initiative feel of how to navigate the system. 2. Menu Item Wording must be "blatantly clear" in that an understandable, navigable table of contents is presented to the user. 3. Menu Design that is biased toward "heavier menus" (e.g. up to 15 Items) is a desirable trade off to minimize the "depth" or number of menus required 4. Avoid Lengthy Lead-Ins, Policy Statements 5. User must be offered a choice of "navigation options"; those options must be evident from the main menu. The Tallahassee Freenet is a good example to follow: 1. Administration (go admin) .... .... .... 15.Navigation Menu Guide for Freenet e.g. intuitively shows user that following navigation options are available 6. Navigation Options (and User Needs) a. Select Choice by number, cursor movement to highlighted word, first letter of subject or 1st characters unique to subject word. - flexibility to choose method that user is most comfortable with, ability to navigate by shortest unique string. b. Go Function - user (typically experienced user) knows where they want to go and wants to get there quickly. c. Alphabetized Subject Area Listing - user wants to browse the system to find out what's available. d. Search capability - users wants to quickly find where, or if information is available on system. - Capability should include searchable menus as well as key word search. - For the Triangle region, ability to search by city as well as subject key word is a requirement. Sub Level "Subject" Menus The need was pointed out for a sub level menu that in addition to listing sub topics, includes the ability to put information such as who's responsible, telephone number, e-mail address, etc. on the sub menu. A usage example would be the main entry from the Freenet menu to a collective subset of information e.g. the INFO system on UNC. Other Highlights / Topics Discussed 1. Several systems including the VA-Pen Software as well as gophers have the ability to down load (via email, ASCII, Kermit, home directory, etc)from any given information display. Very desirable attribute. 2. Advanced System Capabilities The following capabilities were identified as desirable enhancements that should be planned into the system. a. Ability to configure menus either by user selection of novice/advanced user class or customizable menus defined by user. b. Capability to support advanced graphic or color interfaces through down loadable software or software packages such as the Macintosh Turbo Gopher package. 3. Gophers Very desirable search tool but: a. Decision of where in the information hierarchy to cut to a Gopher needs some thought. b. The menu somehow needs to let the user know when they are loosing direct control of the session and thus exposed to delays or lockups if gopher has difficulty establishing remote session. 4. Mailers Mailers should be full featured but usable by novice users. Sub Menus at bottom of the screen identifying choice of actions (and help functions) are necessary to avoid dropping the user into an unknown editor environment and not knowing what to do. 5. Data Formats Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) is emerging as a common technique for formatting information within a chosen topic area. This capability should be investigated. 6. Standardized User Interface The need to provide a standardized user interface by redefining command interfaces to mask differences among various internet application interfaces was expressed. Views also expressed on how difficult this could be to accomplish.