IMHO, an explicit help button that toggles an overlay with help bubbles would
be best. Takes up less space than actual labels. Here's an example:
http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/03/5_tips_for_working_w.html
- Bert -
On 27.03.2012, at 06:44, Carl Angiolillo wrote:
> > However, that is different than the icons you use everyday.
>
> True. The time spent learning iconography is amortized while the pixel costs
> of the label remain fixed so those text labels that were very helpful at
> first end up consuming unnecessary real-estate as the kids become experts.
> However, if the kids become frustrated by confusing buttons* they might not
> bother becoming experts at all so it's worth keeping an eye on during testing.
>
> > on a touch screen ... there's no obvious way to get the text descriptions
> > to pop up.
>
> The method Android uses is to long press on a button to display its label. I
> doubt this qualifies as "obvious" judging by the fact that this was slipped
> quietly into 4.0 and I've never observed anyone using it. Some interfaces
> (like native OS X toolbars or MS Office products) allow text labels to be
> turned on and off by the user. I've used time-delay fade-in labels on
> touchscreens (which were supposed to help novices while not impacting expert
> use) but they turned out to be too distracting and not helpful in the case of
> buttons that remain visible all the time. The simplest method might be to
> bite the bullet, spend the pixels, and add text labels to buttons on
> touchscreen devices.
>
> Carl
>
> *...e.g., a sound icon shaped like the profile of an internal electronic
> component or a stop icon shaped like an octagon even in Libya, Zimbabwe, the
> Bahamas, or Japan.
>
> On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 19:37, Bert Freudenberg <b...@freudenbergs.de> wrote:
>
> On 21.03.2012, at 00:16, C. Scott Ananian wrote:
>
> > On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 4:47 PM, Gonzalo Odiard <gonz...@laptop.org> wrote:
> >> If you find non obvious icons, can report to try to improve.
> >> May be adults have problems with icons, but kids don't,
> >> just see a kid playing in any internet site.
> >
> > These icons become much more problematic on a touch screen, where there's
> > no obvious way to get the text descriptions to pop up.
> > --scott
>
> OTOH, on a web site, you just want to get results quickly, and then maybe
> never visit again. It's not worth learning what the icons mean, since they
> most likely are unique to that site. That's why using icons like in the video
> fails.
>
> However, that is different than the icons you use everyday. Those are worth
> learning. Of course, the learning must be made possible, and hopefully
> enjoyable. But the gut reaction of "I as an adult can't figure it out at
> first glance, so it must be bad" isn't quite appropriate.
>
> - Bert -
>
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