Just a tiny note: When you're doing user studies, ask about closure. People tend to save when they've come to the end of something--reached closure.
The closure points in data entry tend to be "I finished this page finally" or "I've put in all 12 pages." In interactive systems like word processors or spreadsheets, the closure points are "I've finally got that idea down on paper" or "I've finally figured out that formula." While you're watching your users, listen for a satisfied sigh or watch for the person putting down the pencil. Ask why they sighed or put down the pencil. If they say, "I finished that part," then that's probably a good "Save" point. Not that you have to put an actual Save button there. If your input pages are on tabs, for example, switching to the next tab would be an implicit save (with a message in the status bar saying "Saving page 2" or whatever). Or it you use Next and Previous, each movement after data input would be an implicit save. This may bring up data-integrity issues. In the database systems I'm familiar with, the implicit Saves save the information locally and the "Submit" on the last page sends it to the database. At that point, Undo is not possible; you have to explicitly open the record and change the data. --Susan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=34463 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
