BibTeX
@inproceedings{Selker-gi99, title = {Style and Function of Graphic Tools}, author = {Ted Selker}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the Graphics Interface 1999 Conference, June 2-4, 1999, Kingston, Ontario, Canada}, year = {1999}, month = {June}, pages = {123--131}, url = {http://graphicsinterface.org/wp-content/uploads/gi1999-17.pdf} }
Abstract
Shouldn't the future be a place where our graphical interfaces disencumber computer use? We should be developing a library of graphical presentation and interface techniques relative to where they are useful. We should work to make things respect the ergonomic and psychophysical realities of people. We should work to make things that look like what they do or represent. When these goals over constrain design, we need good teaching tools - prosthetics - to help the user share the designer's vision. When should the user interface should slink out of the way to allow us to focus our attention on our tasks and when should it be stylish and playful? The sea-green institutional paint of the 50s was supposed be a relaxing color. Interfaces also might suffer from being offensively bland. We choose and use things to make a social statement of status, style, and knowledge. This paper discusses how tools should give designers the latitude to create brand and style statements, while making reasoned and motivated choices of interface techniques in scenarios.