Chapter 16 - Designing Effective Input

1. Input Design Objectives
   • Ease of Use
   • Effectiveness
   • Accuracy
   • Attractiveness
   • Simplicity
   • Consistency
2. Good Form Design
   • Making Forms Easy to Fill In
     • Form Flow
     • Seven Sections of a Form (Fig. 16.3)
       1. Heading
       2. Identification and acess
       3. Instructions
       4. Body
       5. Signature and verification
       6. Totals
       7. Comments
     • Captioning (Line, Below line, boxed, Table, vertical & horizontal check off)
   • Meeting the Intended Purpose
   • Assuring Accurate Completion
   • Keeping Forms Attractive
   • Computer-Assisted Form Design
   • Controlling Business Forms
3. Good Screen and Web Forms Design
   • Keep the screen simple
     • Three Screen Sections (Heading, Body, Comments)
     • Using Windows or Hyperlinks
   • Keep the screen presentation consistent
   • Facilitate user movement among screens (scrolling, hyperlinks, pop-up windows, on-screen dialog)
   • Create an attractive screen (inverse video, blinking cursors, different fonts and colors)
   • Differences in Mainframe and Microcomputer Screen Design
     • Attributes (protection, intensity, shift & extended attributes)
     • Screen Code Generation (using CASE tools)
   • Using Icons in Screen Design
   • GUI Design
   • Tab Control Dialog Boxes
   • Color
4. Intranet and Internet Page Design
   • Use a variety of text boxes, push buttons, drop-down menus, check boxes, and radio buttons.
   • Provide clear instructions
   • Include radio buttons for bipolar, close-ended questions
   • Employ check boxes for test conditions
   • Use a logical sequence for fill-in forms
   • Prepare two basic buttons (submit, clear)
   • Use a scrolling text box when you are uncertain how mach space a user needs

Exercises: (due - noon Nov. 19, 1998)
e-mail to summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu your answers to the following problems: 5,12