Beating the Rap on UI Standards (continued)

Figure 1: Sample "Browser" screen type that facilities hierarchical relationships. A very powerful screen.

Figure 2: Sample "Graphic Drilldown" screen type. Remind developers to use graphic screens, especially when they come from a text-based environment!

Q: How did you keep the document from intimidating and boring developers?
Jamie: Separate sections deal with specific tasks. Developers do not have to read right through every page from cover-to-cover to make effective use of it. Developers can quickly flip to a screen type and see a Royal Bank example. Behind each example are instructions on when to use that type of screen, a checklist of relevant standards for display and operation.

Figure 3: Sample "elements that appear on every screen." Callouts provide links to the textual checklist.

Figure 4: Sample "Form" screen type. Again, callouts link to a brief textual checklist.

Q: What follow-up do you have for the standard?
Jamie: A new group has been formed to help applications develop their user interface. They will be building standard reusable code. This will make following the standard easier. They are also building working examples of each of the standard screen type examples. A short course introducing the Royal Bank GUI standards will be available shortly. This course will focus on how and when to use the standards. [Developers] can also take the same course that each of the committee members took. This will help [them] understand some of the more specific human factoring principles and research that went into the standard.

Q: What benefits do you see coming from your standards effort?
Jamie: Less time spent evaluating design alternatives. More time for business function specific design work. Easier porting of system modules. Easier system maintenance. Less time providing phone support to users.