• 1. Graphical User Interface
  • 1.1. UI versus GUI
  • 1.2. GUI Design
  • 1.3. Layout
    • 1.3.1. Screen Layout
    • 1.3.2. Colour Contrast
    • 1.3.3. Unit-Summary
  • 1.4. GUI for Interactive Maps
  • 1.5. Self Assessment
  • 1.6. Summary
  • 1.7. Glossary
  • 1.8. Bibliography
  • 1.9. Metadata

1.3.3. Unit-Summary

Screen Layout

There exist two main strategies (which are further subdivided) to manage the layout of the display area:

• High-Density Layout Strategy
  • Tabular Arrangement
  • Hierarchical Organisation
  • Graph
• Limited Information Layout Strategy
  • Step-By-Step Interaction
  • Details on Demand
  • Disable/Minimise Irrelevant Information

These strategies are complementary and should always be used toghether in every GUI screen. Depending on the case, one of the two will be dominant, but it is essential to be accurate in the exact mixing of them. (Marinilli 2003)

Colour Contrast

According to (1970) there exist seven colour contrasts:

• Pure Colour Contrast
• Light-Dark Contrast
• Simultaneous Contrast
• Complementary Contrast
• Warm-Cold Contrast
• Quality Contrast
• Quantity Contrast

When designing a GUI these contrasts play an important role. A designer has to aware of the effects of the combination of different colours.

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Update: 26.1.2012 (eLML) - Contact - Print (PDF) - © CartouCHe 2004-2007 (Creative Commons) - layout based on YAML