Hello,
I added a feature called "Action Map" to my application KBarcode in its CVS
today. I think this feature could help to improve the useabillity of all KDE
applications.
It would be great if I could get some feedback here, if this is a good idea
and if I should continue to work on my proof of concept implementation.
You can find more information, screeshots and the sample implementation which
can be used in all KDE applications at:
What is an Action Map?
Almost every web page has a site map. According to Wikipedia, a site map
"helps visitors, and search engine robots, to find pages on the site".
Similar an Action Map should help the user to find actions (i.e. functions or
menu items) in an application.
More concrete an Action Map is a dialog with a list of all actions (i.e. make
text bold, save file or insert image) that can be performed in the
application at its current state. Additionally there is a search box at the
top of the list so that the user can search the list easily for a special
action. The action is executed by clicking on it. Disabled actions are grayed
out and cannot be clicked. The dialog is modeless so that it can always be
open and the normal usage of the application is not disturbed.
Why do I need an Action Map?
Imagine you are using a word processor. You know there is a function to insert
a footnote - but you cannot remember where you can find this feature in the
large menu. You now go to the Help menu and open the Action Map. Type
"footnote" in the searchbox and you will find the footnote feature. You can
immediately click on the feature and insert a new footnote.
Additionally an Action Map can be used to browse through all the actions of an
application and see which features it does provide.
Action Maps might not be necessary for small applications as well as site maps
are not necessary for small webpages. But they are in my opinion a good
addition to larger applications with lot's of menu items and function. As the
user can get lost easily in large menus. Along with the KHelpCenter and
what's this? help Action Maps can help the user to use KDE applications more
easily.
Feedback Wanted!
I have some questions to the useability experts out there:
- Is an Action Map useful?
- Does it help the user to find functions in an application?
- How can the implementation be improved?
- Would it make sense to add an Action Map feature to KDE 4?
Please send me your comments. If it is useful I will continue to improve the
current implementation and port it to KDE 4.
Thanks in advance!
best regards,
Dom

Hello,

Am Saturday, 20. May 2006 22:44 schrieb Mikolaj Machowski:
- Is an Action Map useful?

Very much. I am often lost in menus (especially looking for rarely used
options or in new applications) and such feature would be great help.
Thanks.
- How can the implementation be improved?

- is it possible to show in some way original location of action in menu
structure?
- what about sub-menus? is it possible to filter not only by menu item
names but also by menu and sub-menu names for grouping?
- embedding and/or using of feature as normal not help tool: in
applications like Krita or digiKam I am always lost - was this tool in
Filters or Colors, and similar problems; maybe it could be adjusted to
fit for regular use.
Showing the menu structure would be a great addition as it would help the user
to remember where s/he can find an action. I don't yet if this is possible.
But I take a look on this.
- Would it make sense to add an Action Map feature to KDE 4?

Developers are already complaining about size of kdelibs and not all
applications could benefit from it. But for sure I could use of it in
koffice, kdepim, some extragear apps (digiKam, maybe amaroK).
If so many applications would use the action map, it is IMH a must have in
kdelibs. It does not make sense to duplicate this code in so many
applications. I think it would even best to add it to KMainWindow similar to
the What's This Help? so that it is always there. - dreamin' :) It should
get polished a bit first.

Thanks for your feedback

best regards,
Dom

Hello,

Am Saturday, 20. May 2006 19:18 schrieb Goffart:
Hi.
I the action map is a good idea.

I don't know if the current implementation (as i seen on screenshot) is
good, usability expert (that i am not) would maybe tell you that.

But I like the idea of being able to search for one action.

Some ideas:
- Maybe you should add a 'description' column so we can search in the
description of the action.
I will add a description column, which will contain the text from the what's
this help. Sounds like a good idea.
- It is already a good idea to show the shortcut, but it should also show
the real location in the menu, so next time, no need to use the action
map. - Can the configure shortcut dialog be merged with that ?
I will try to add the information where it can be found in the menu.
Merging the configure shortcut dialog in to this is IMH no good idea. This
dialog should be a help to the user and therefore as simple as possible.

Thanks for your feedback.

best regards,
Dom

Saturday 20 May 2006 16:12, Dominik Seichter wrote:
I added a feature called "Action Map" to my application KBarcode in its
CVS today. I think this feature could help to improve the useabillity
of all KDE applications.

We kind of already have this, its the shortcut dialog in each application
in KDE. While that one does not allow you to actually execute an action
at that point, its a better technology preview then yours since its
available for apps like KMail and KWord.
If you actually look at them you will notice its a horror fest to actually
find anything there.

As it turns out actions have names that are short and good in the context
of a menus or context-popups.

I don't see anything innovative just yet.

Am Tuesday, 23. May 2006 20:46 schrieb Thomas Zander:
Saturday 20 May 2006 16:12, Dominik Seichter wrote:
I added a feature called "Action Map" to my application KBarcode in its
CVS today. I think this feature could help to improve the useabillity
of all KDE applications.

We kind of already have this, its the shortcut dialog in each application
in KDE. While that one does not allow you to actually execute an action
at that point, its a better technology preview then yours since its
available for apps like KMail and KWord.
If you actually look at them you will notice its a horror fest to actually
find anything there.

As it turns out actions have names that are short and good in the context
of a menus or context-popups.

I don't see anything innovative just yet.
Well, you are right that the shortcut dialog and my idea are quite similar.
The shortcut dialog has IMH several disadvantages to my idea.

First of all the user sees the shortcut dialog as a dialog to configure
shortcuts and not as a way to find an action and execute it. Secondly the
shortcut dialog does not show the location in the menu, so the user does not
learn anything about the location of the action. I know that my version right
does not show the location, too. But I am working on a patch for KDE 4 which
will do that.
Additionally my idea is to also search the tooltip of the actions and the
what's this help, so that the search gives better hits.

Also it is no "horror fest" to find anything. The action map idea is for the
case where you know - "ah KWord had these >insert date< feature" and you
cannot find it in the menu. You would go to the action map and type "date"
and you have the action right in front of you. You know already what you
want, you just do not know where it is.
And the same goes IMH for the shortcut dialog. If I know what I am looking
for, which I almost ever do in the shortcut dialog, it is easy to find.

Maybe this feature is not for total computer beginners. But I think it can
help many users.

best regards,
Dom

Tuesday 23 May 2006 22:27, Dominik Seichter wrote:
First of all the user sees the shortcut dialog as a dialog to configure
shortcuts and not as a way to find an action and execute it. Secondly
the shortcut dialog does not show the location in the menu, so the user
does not learn anything about the location of the action. I know that
my version right does not show the location, too. But I am working on a
patch for KDE 4 which will do that.

Looks like you are not yet aware that actions in no way have to actually
be present in the menus.

From your description you are better off making the menus searchable,
which can easily be done using an add on app which uses the dcop/dbus
apis to figure out the menu structure.

Also it is no "horror fest" to find anything. The action map idea is
for the case where you know - "ah KWord had these >insert date<
feature" and you cannot find it in the menu. You would go to the action
map and type "date" and you have the action right in front of you. You
know already what you want, you just do not know where it is.

In my experience people will have a MUCH better chance of finding an item
in the menus then by searching on name due to the way people recall
things. People recognize locations and relations much better then names.
Since names can be abstract; the title can be to insert 'date' and I am
searching for 'day'. For example.