Philip
Thanks for your very thorough response. Informative, tho a little
disappointing in that there don't seem to be much in the way of audiotex
"standards" - even after 30 years of regular usage.
I first entered the emerging UxP field in 1979, when "audiotex" (often
Audix-based) systems were the primary working models for widely accessible
interactivity. As a graphical guy, I moved quickly into the pc-screen w/
full keyboard interface arena as it became the primary and dominant
interactive platform.
My Context for the question:
Hand-held devices are what's happening. That means that many people are now
doing their interactive stuff using a smaller, more constrained video screen
and entering input primarily via numeric keypad.
So I'm wondering if there aren't lessons to be learned and models to be
emulated in the existing / conventional audiotex systems.
As a further step, is it feasible (appropriate) to try to map some of the
standard UI functions in any interface to numeric shortcut keys that are
broadly understood & accepted? Symbolic placeholder that transcends
language barriers.
Net/Net: It appears that - altho audiotex (often voicemail) systems remain
pervasive across the globe - there actually aren't many UI standards to be
mined. But it's a thought...
If you can provide any references to those semi-standards, Philip, it would
be appreciated.
PS
Do you think that "The 411" (for "More Info") has legs?
or "611" for "Contact Us"
or "911" for "Help"(!)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phillip Hunter" <phil...@speechcycle.com>
To: <disc...@ixda.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 9:37 AM
Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Default UI standards for phone keypads: Audiotex
John,
There are very old semi-standards that companies such as the
pre-breakup AT&T published that also included menu structure
guidelines.
In practice, though, these are not used widely enough to call them
standards. In addition, your example actually mixes a voicemail-type
system references with other more general conventions.
So, a little more context would be helpful to know what you are
after. I've designed and built many DTMF and speech systems and
many good and bad usages abound. In general, though, for customer
service or other information systems, yes, keys 1 - 6 are used for
call reason sorts of options, 8 or * can be used for going back one
level or to the main menu, 9 can be used to end the call, and # for
variable length digit string entry termination.
In voicemail systems, while there should have been a standard based
on or inspired by the Audix system, in reality many companies have
done wonders in butchering what could be a straightforward interface.
To step into fantasyland for a moment though, for the menus, the same
options above could apply. Once listening to a message, 1 can be
"rewind", 3 can be "fast forward", 5 can be message meta-data
(calling number, date, time), 7 can be "delete", 8 can be "reply
to", 9 can "store" the message, * can be "exit" to the menu, and
# can "skip" to the next message. While no real standard exists,
these are similar enough to many existing systems to be quickly
learnable, IMO.
Also, though you didn't ask, 0 should always get the caller to a
person. Or at least to something helpful if not.
Phillip
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Posted from the new ixda.org
http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=36742
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