The best way to go forward would be to get a good number of representative or actual users and simply do two simple A-B tests on the same users. I'm not or expanding on participants and numbers because there is no information given about what your site is about, who does it target and whether it's live or not.
Test 1- accordion without auto-switching and and accordion with auto-switching Probe the participants in context of what you want to accomplish through the auto-switching and choose which way to go. Test 2- accordion with 'open panel' upon MouseOver and accordion without 'open panel' upon MouseOver Observe more and probe to validate whether users find this confusing, irritating or just fine/ needs minor adjustment to suit their taste. But otherwise, in my opinion, points 1 and 2 could be implemented as mentioned or the other way round, without any major concerns to users. The only points to take note would be: Point 1- Accordion auto-switches to the next part after every 5 seconds when mouse pointer is outside the box. It's fine if it does or doesn't. But you should consider avoiding the slide transition while showing changing panels. This will avoid the accordion from distracting the user from the other content on the page (you said this is not very important content). Instead, you would like to use the slide transition to help the users are operating the UI so they realize the change in state of the changing panels more easily. Point 2- OnMouseOver any part-title bar opens this part (with latency 200ms). It's fine if it does or doesn't. But in case it does, the latency could be decided by testing it out with 10-15 folks across departments in your organization to what seems natural and fit. Cone -- Cone Trees- User Research & Design <a href="http://www.conetrees.com";>www.conetrees.com</a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/conetrees";>Twitter: conetrees</a> On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 8:21 PM, Kordian Piotr Klecha <[email protected]>wrote: > No, I don't mean harmoshkas, but boxes with sliding parts, e.g.: > http://www.stickmanlabs.com/accordion/ > > We are going to use such box on the main page (in the bottom of column - > not > very important content there, but still) and just wondering about > interactions. Current proposition is: > > 1. Accordion auto-switches to the next part after every 5 seconds when > mouse > pointer is outside the box. > > 2. OnMouseOver any part-title bar opens this part (with latency 200ms). > > 3. Clicking on part-title bar opens it too. > > Especially point 2 is a manner of doubt. > > Any advices, examples, opinions? > > > ________________________________________________________________ > Reply to this thread at ixda.org > http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=36908 > > ________________________________________________________________ > 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 > -- Cone Trees- User Research & Design http://www.conetrees.com http://www.twitter.com/conetrees ________________________________________________________________ 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
