> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kevin Graeme [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 9:58 AM
> To: CF-Community
> Subject: Re: user interface question
>
> It's funny, but I knew Jim would be able to run with this and cover
> nearly the same exact points as I would.
Ah, shucks.
> IMO, this is one of the situations where the rules of grammar are
> secondary or at least bendable. If it has to be an icon and label, and
> it has to mention the CMS as what is being logged out of, I would
> simply have "CMS Logout". The best strictly grammatical phrasing, as
> Jim has said, is "Log out of the CMS" but that's so unweildy. I'm
> comfortable with an ambiguous fragment where Logout is effectively
> both noun and verb.
Definitely. A label doesn't have to pass a grammar check - just a
recognition check.
If the end-user knows what the label means, unambiguously, then you can
consider the label a resounding success.
A good example of this is the Windows log off label. Mine says "Log Off Jim
Davis".
Well - I'm not "on" Jim Davis, I AM Jim Davis, so the sentence makes no
sense ("Log Off, Jim Davis" might have worked better in that sense) but the
meaning of the statement is completely clear. That button with log you off
and you're currently logged in as "Jim Davis".
The label provides action, context and understanding with as few words as
possible.
In your case it sounds like that as well - Kevin's exactly right that users
will instantly comprehend "Log Out CMS" or "CMS Log Out".
It's hard to tell what "right" (since nothing is "right") without seeing the
context however. The full sentence may be applicable to the style of your
application, who knows?
This is more often the case with random-use applications (applications
people don't use everyday and don't have much invested in). It's pretty
common then to see full "dialoging" going on: addressing the person
conversationally.
You might see "Jim, please _Log Out_ when you're finished to protect your
information." In most cases this is duplicated with a simpler "Log Out"
button or icon someplace on the interface as well.
I guess my (rambling, incoherent) point is that consistency is more
important that rules here.
> If you are designing this and have this control, I would recommend
> just using the word "logout" either as a button or hypertext link. If
> there are two contexts that it could apply to (account and cms) then I
> would provide the context through other means like grouping, color,
> etc. "Logout" in a cluster of CMS controls is understandable if the
> interface designer has done a good job of differentiating those
> controls.
I can't agree more.
Again it's really difficult to judge without seeing, but any system like
this (portals, application aggregators, etc) should focus first on providing
task context.
When you choose "log out" there should be no reasonable question as to what
that button does based on the context of the button. If it's logging out of
the CMS, but not the portal, that needs to be conveyed via a segmentation:
CMS controls should be clearly part of the CMS while portal controls should
be clearly NOT part of the CMS.
All that said the root question here is why do you need multiple or
segmented log ins?
Users HATE logging in multiple times. REALLY, REALLY HATE IT. If they have
to log into the portal already and then log into the CMS I would really
focus (or suggest to management a focus) on trying to consolidate those log
ins, implementing an enterprise "single-sign in" system or creating a trust
relationship between the two apps.
Essentially your current problem is "hard" because in a perfect world it
wouldn't exist. One log in would grant access to all the apps and one log
out would exit them all. Since (I'm nearly positive) we're not in a perfect
world you have to come up with the best kludge you can. ;^)
Jim Davis
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