Comments on: UI Design Challenge: A Table or Grid With Too Much Information http://www.uidesignguide.com/2009/03/08/ui-design-challenge-a-table-or-grid-with-too-much-information/ Exploring The World Of Web Application Interface Design By Design Examples, Lessons, And Real Project Design Examples." Thu, 27 May 2010 13:11:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jim Axelssonhttp://www.uidesignguide.com/2009/03/08/ui-design-challenge-a-table-or-grid-with-too-much-information/comment-page-1/#comment-2284 Jim Axelsson Mon, 24 May 2010 15:23:58 +0000 http://www.uidesignguide.com/?p=291#comment-2284 Regarding the Hide/Show columns option, I've seen many developers use this a great way to solve the problem. However I always caution against using it too easily, as you could inadvertently allow users to remove vital information that could cause them to miss an important alert or confuse new entries with old ones.Being proactive in helping users see what they need to see based on who they are is much more helpful if you have done your user due diligence. The user is not always the person you work with who knows what they want/need, they may be someone new hired next week or someone who only uses the system every few months. Regarding the Hide/Show columns option, I’ve seen many developers use this a great way to solve the problem. However I always caution against using it too easily, as you could inadvertently allow users to remove vital information that could cause them to miss an important alert or confuse new entries with old ones.

Being proactive in helping users see what they need to see based on who they are is much more helpful if you have done your user due diligence. The user is not always the person you work with who knows what they want/need, they may be someone new hired next week or someone who only uses the system every few months.

]]> By: Jim Axelssonhttp://www.uidesignguide.com/2009/03/08/ui-design-challenge-a-table-or-grid-with-too-much-information/comment-page-1/#comment-2232 Jim Axelsson Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:15:07 +0000 http://www.uidesignguide.com/?p=291#comment-2232 Some of my approaches/initial thoughts: 1. look at your user personae and primary actions: a. see if you can show different columns for different user types. b. look into whether you will be filtering the data into groups in which you can display only pertinent data for the state of the items listed. 2. see if you need filter boxes for each column of information and what the required behaviour is. 3. define your interaction columns and behaviour, which is the primary link for a line item, if you need to take actions on them and how those actions can be designed with a fluid interactive approach 4. review the data and figure out if any of it can be combined. Ex: a. combining each element of an address and country into one column field b. hiding an email address in a persons name as a link or an envelope. c. can you place anything in rollover tool tips such as perhaps using a custom designed alert icon which gets the point across and you roll over for more info.Remember, you are designing for the web where there are no real limitations. While this means you have to be extra careful, it also means you don't need to unnecessarily limit youself as if you were working in Microsoft Excel. Some of my approaches/initial thoughts:
1. look at your user personae and primary actions:
a. see if you can show different columns for different user types.
b. look into whether you will be filtering the data into groups in which you can display only pertinent data for the state of the items listed.
2. see if you need filter boxes for each column of information and what the required behaviour is.
3. define your interaction columns and behaviour, which is the primary link for a line item, if you need to take actions on them and how those actions can be designed with a fluid interactive approach
4. review the data and figure out if any of it can be combined. Ex:
a. combining each element of an address and country into one column field
b. hiding an email address in a persons name as a link or an envelope.
c. can you place anything in rollover tool tips such as perhaps using a custom designed alert icon which gets the point across and you roll over for more info.

Remember, you are designing for the web where there are no real limitations. While this means you have to be extra careful, it also means you don’t need to unnecessarily limit youself as if you were working in Microsoft Excel.

]]> By: uidesignerhttp://www.uidesignguide.com/2009/03/08/ui-design-challenge-a-table-or-grid-with-too-much-information/comment-page-1/#comment-682 uidesigner Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:25:42 +0000 http://www.uidesignguide.com/?p=291#comment-682 That's a great idea Rajat. You could set a default list of elements that will be in the grid and have an icon / text that would allow more. I'm not a big fan of horizontal scroll though. You can start to get into some tricky and wierd print issues. Especially with Internet explorer 6. That’s a great idea Rajat. You could set a default list of elements that will be in the grid and have an icon / text that would allow more. I’m not a big fan of horizontal scroll though. You can start to get into some tricky and wierd print issues. Especially with Internet explorer 6.

]]> By: Rajathttp://www.uidesignguide.com/2009/03/08/ui-design-challenge-a-table-or-grid-with-too-much-information/comment-page-1/#comment-678 Rajat Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:21:22 +0000 http://www.uidesignguide.com/?p=291#comment-678 We could have Hide/show column on the top right of the grid where in user could select to view columns he/she wants. If all, there would be a horizontal scroll for grid. We could have Hide/show column on the top right of the grid where in user could select to view columns he/she wants.
If all, there would be a horizontal scroll for grid.

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