I’ve had to do a lot of things in my career as an interaction developer that I’ve despised.
A favourite bug bear of mine is having to reimplement standard browser controls in JavaScript. The familiar tale of the powers that be deciding they want to create custom designs for every tiny part of the web interface. Inevitably as the code monkey it’s your job to take it up the rear and produce these gems no matter how hard, annoying or pointless they are until someone, somewhere, can climax into a design ejaculation, probably whilst flicking through the centrefolds of a Taschen Philippe Starck product book. No wonder when you pick them up in Waterstones they are always sticky…
One of the repeat offenders of this list is the poor old scroll bar. Admittedly a tad ugly looking in some OS’s but never the less a stalwart of interaction design. The number of times I have been asked to re-implement this, using a variety of different colours, shapes, sizes has grown too long to count. I’ve spent a lot of time agonizing/swearing over scrollbar engineering principles and now it’s my turn to implement the scrollbars I want.
Now the scrollbars I want.
Are invisible.
I can’t remember when I watched it, but many moons ago, I came across Edward Tufte’s excellent dissection of the iPhone’s interface. The idea that really resonated with me on this, was the concept of eradicating “administrative debris”, controls that were just there to control, things that could be re-implemented to be intuitive behaviors, without the need for a reserved space of visual feedback that clutters and constricts the screen real estate. A beautiful example of this is how the iPhone, does away with scrollbars, in favour of a tactile drag/swipe scroll mechanism.
So, I thought, why not put the inane knowledge I have of JavaScript and the browser scrolling api to use, and implement a version of the iphone scroller, in a jQuery Plugin.
Six months later, someone else has beaten me to the punch.
There is already an jQuery iPhone scroller plugin, which is annoying as I produced the POC over six months ago, but only recently got around to tidying it up and refactoring it. BALLS. Oh well such is life. Anyway, mine needs some work, but is generally better.
Some examples are below:
Vertical Scroller
The iPhone platform elegantly solves the design problem of small screens by greatly intensifying the information resolution of each displayed page. Small screens, as on traditional cell phones, show very little information per screen, which in turn leads to deep hierarchies of stacked-up thin information–too often leaving users with “Where am I?” puzzles. Better to have users looking over material adjacent in space rather than stacked in time.
To do so requires increasing the information resolution of the screen by the hardware (higher resolution screens) and by screen design (eliminating screen-hogging computer administrative debris, and distributing information adjacent in space).
This video shows some of the resolution-enhancing methods of the iPhone, along with a few places for improvements in resolution.
In 1994-1995 I designed (while consulting for IBM) screen mock-ups for navigating through the National Gallery via information kiosks. (The National Gallery had the good sense not to adopt the proposal.) For several years these screen designs were handouts in the one-day course in my discussion of interface design, and were then published in my book Visual Explanations (1997).
The design ideas here include high-resolution touch-screens; minimizing computer admin debris; spatial distribution of information rather than temporal stacking; complete integration of text, images, and live video; a flat non-hierarchical interface; and replacing spacious icons with tight words. The metaphor for the interface is the information. Thus the iPhone got it mostly right.
Another critique of the current weather application (one that I believe can be rectified once the SDK comes out in February): more detail is difficult to obtain. For instance, most standard weather displays (TV, newspaper, etc.) give the chance of precipitation and the humidity level. This information could easily fit on the weather screen, but it isn’t there. If I click on the Y! logo at the bottom left, it takes me to a Yahoo mobile page that shows ads and no additional details about the weather (plenty of other random info about my area though…).
Quisque sem diam, ullamcorper et, volutpat et, dignissim sit amet, ligula. Praesent accumsan justo vitae metus. Nunc pretium aliquet libero. Nulla ut pede et lectus iaculis accumsan. Nulla aliquet arcu at quam. Pellentesque cursus adipiscing dolor. Suspendisse volutpat magna id nisi. Ut pretium nisi in elit. Curabitur id arcu. Maecenas eu quam. Curabitur ultricies, lectus quis commodo dignissim, felis turpis vehicula arcu, ac faucibus risus metus vitae turpis. Maecenas et lacus ut enim vulputate interdum. Mauris ut diam ut urna laoreet tristique. Aenean malesuada consectetur erat.
Phasellus eleifend, velit at semper fringilla, metus dolor hendrerit dui, id consequat enim purus vitae est. Sed tristique. Quisque hendrerit ullamcorper tortor. Vivamus pretium fringilla lacus. Maecenas in mi quis lorem auctor egestas. Vivamus quis urna dapibus sem euismod congue. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Mauris metus sem, molestie in, tristique non, pellentesque a, enim. Aenean eleifend urna sit amet libero. Cras in diam. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla porttitor pharetra quam. Cras ac massa in nisi semper rutrum. Aliquam at tellus. Morbi tincidunt.
Horizontal Scroller
To do so requires increasing the information resolution of the screen by the hardware (higher resolution screens) and by screen design (eliminating screen-hogging computer administrative debris, and distributing information adjacent in space).
This video shows some of the resolution-enhancing methods of the iPhone, along with a few places for improvements in resolution.
In 1994-1995 I designed (while consulting for IBM) screen mock-ups for navigating through the National Gallery via information kiosks. (The National Gallery had the good sense not to adopt the proposal.) For several years these screen designs were handouts in the one-day course in my discussion of interface design, and were then published in my book Visual Explanations (1997).
The design ideas here include high-resolution touch-screens; minimizing computer admin debris; spatial distribution of information rather than temporal stacking; complete integration of text, images, and live video; a flat non-hierarchical interface; and replacing spacious icons with tight words. The metaphor for the interface is the information. Thus the iPhone got it mostly right.
Another critique of the current weather application (one that I believe can be rectified once the SDK comes out in February): more detail is difficult to obtain. For instance, most standard weather displays (TV, newspaper, etc.) give the chance of precipitation and the humidity level. This information could easily fit on the weather screen, but it isn’t there. If I click on the Y! logo at the bottom left, it takes me to a Yahoo mobile page that shows ads and no additional details about the weather (plenty of other random info about my area though…).
Quisque sem diam, ullamcorper et, volutpat et, dignissim sit amet, ligula. Praesent accumsan justo vitae metus. Nunc pretium aliquet libero. Nulla ut pede et lectus iaculis accumsan. Nulla aliquet arcu at quam. Pellentesque cursus adipiscing dolor. Suspendisse volutpat magna id nisi. Ut pretium nisi in elit. Curabitur id arcu. Maecenas eu quam. Curabitur ultricies, lectus quis commodo dignissim, felis turpis vehicula arcu, ac faucibus risus metus vitae turpis. Maecenas et lacus ut enim vulputate interdum. Mauris ut diam ut urna laoreet tristique. Aenean malesuada consectetur erat.
Phasellus eleifend, velit at semper fringilla, metus dolor hendrerit dui, id consequat enim purus vitae est. Sed tristique. Quisque hendrerit ullamcorper tortor. Vivamus pretium fringilla lacus. Maecenas in mi quis lorem auctor egestas. Vivamus quis urna dapibus sem euismod congue. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Mauris metus sem, molestie in, tristique non, pellentesque a, enim. Aenean eleifend urna sit amet libero. Cras in diam. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla porttitor pharetra quam. Cras ac massa in nisi semper rutrum. Aliquam at tellus. Morbi tincidunt.
In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin consequat bibendum tortor. Phasellus mollis, lectus non imperdiet ultrices, magna elit fermentum orci, rhoncus varius urna mi at est. Aenean ut velit. Pellentesque velit nunc, ullamcorper vel, iaculis cursus, facilisis non, nisl. Nam pede diam, venenatis sit amet, consequat vel, malesuada quis, enim. Ut adipiscing, turpis pulvinar mattis ultrices, enim mi euismod arcu, in imperdiet nunc nisl id pede. Maecenas non dolor. Nullam mi turpis, hendrerit ut, ultricies id, lacinia sit amet, turpis. Sed accumsan, ipsum at faucibus scelerisque, nisi neque commodo ante, sed tincidunt massa lectus in eros. Sed bibendum turpis scelerisque purus. Pellentesque vitae ipsum. Duis sodales fringilla ante. Pellentesque posuere posuere tellus. Phasellus gravida laoreet risus. Integer vitae felis tincidunt felis vulputate semper. Duis semper sem a pede. Praesent quis lectus vel felis varius feugiat. Phasellus ipsum nulla, auctor eget, euismod at, elementum ac, pede.
Proin venenatis augue sit amet felis hendrerit lacinia. In molestie augue sed arcu. Mauris posuere velit eu leo. Mauris commodo. Aenean lacinia dignissim libero. Curabitur quis enim quis augue interdum facilisis. Integer elementum sem nec lectus. Curabitur rutrum nulla in felis. Morbi mattis turpis id diam. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum sollicitudin lectus. Morbi lorem augue, suscipit nec, iaculis eu, tincidunt quis, erat. Duis at ante sit amet dui molestie scelerisque. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Vivamus sodales, risus eu lobortis posuere, justo turpis laoreet ante, eget aliquet nunc metus in erat. Praesent imperdiet orci. Quisque sapien nulla, interdum quis, viverra vel, varius et, lacus. Proin nec risus a ante egestas dictum.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus gravida. Etiam neque lacus, pulvinar a, sollicitudin in, scelerisque suscipit, risus. Vivamus tristique ipsum ac libero. Suspendisse at turpis. Fusce tincidunt, nisi ut porta porta, quam nibh posuere metus, non euismod pede tellus ullamcorper nisi. Praesent dignissim enim consequat odio. Nullam sed velit a arcu volutpat vulputate. Morbi vel est. Vestibulum suscipit nulla blandit libero. Ut aliquam velit in erat. Donec rhoncus ligula quis ante. Morbi fermentum erat in nibh. Suspendisse elit pede, commodo eleifend, faucibus at, eleifend ac, nunc. Phasellus interdum, mauris vitae egestas tempor, ligula sapien vulputate risus, vel placerat tellus ipsum quis tortor. Etiam sodales, tellus eget molestie blandit, metus turpis volutpat arcu, vehicula gravida diam massa vehicula elit. Aliquam id ante. In in ipsum at sapien condimentum varius.
Quisque sem diam, ullamcorper et, volutpat et, dignissim sit amet, ligula. Praesent accumsan justo vitae metus. Nunc pretium aliquet libero. Nulla ut pede et lectus iaculis accumsan. Nulla aliquet arcu at quam. Pellentesque cursus adipiscing dolor. Suspendisse volutpat magna id nisi. Ut pretium nisi in elit. Curabitur id arcu. Maecenas eu quam. Curabitur ultricies, lectus quis commodo dignissim, felis turpis vehicula arcu, ac faucibus risus metus vitae turpis. Maecenas et lacus ut enim vulputate interdum. Mauris ut diam ut urna laoreet tristique. Aenean malesuada consectetur erat.
Phasellus eleifend, velit at semper fringilla, metus dolor hendrerit dui, id consequat enim purus vitae est. Sed tristique. Quisque hendrerit ullamcorper tortor. Vivamus pretium fringilla lacus. Maecenas in mi quis lorem auctor egestas. Vivamus quis urna dapibus sem euismod congue. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Mauris metus sem, molestie in, tristique non, pellentesque a, enim. Aenean eleifend urna sit amet libero. Cras in diam. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla porttitor pharetra quam. Cras ac massa in nisi semper rutrum. Aliquam at tellus. Morbi tincidunt.
In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin consequat bibendum tortor. Phasellus mollis, lectus non imperdiet ultrices, magna elit fermentum orci, rhoncus varius urna mi at est. Aenean ut velit. Pellentesque velit nunc, ullamcorper vel, iaculis cursus, facilisis non, nisl. Nam pede diam, venenatis sit amet, consequat vel, malesuada quis, enim. Ut adipiscing, turpis pulvinar mattis ultrices, enim mi euismod arcu, in imperdiet nunc nisl id pede. Maecenas non dolor. Nullam mi turpis, hendrerit ut, ultricies id, lacinia sit amet, turpis. Sed accumsan, ipsum at faucibus scelerisque, nisi neque commodo ante, sed tincidunt massa lectus in eros. Sed bibendum turpis scelerisque purus. Pellentesque vitae ipsum. Duis sodales fringilla ante. Pellentesque posuere posuere tellus. Phasellus gravida laoreet risus. Integer vitae felis tincidunt felis vulputate semper. Duis semper sem a pede. Praesent quis lectus vel felis varius feugiat. Phasellus ipsum nulla, auctor eget, euismod at, elementum ac, pede.
Proin venenatis augue sit amet felis hendrerit lacinia. In molestie augue sed arcu. Mauris posuere velit eu leo. Mauris commodo. Aenean lacinia dignissim libero. Curabitur quis enim quis augue interdum facilisis. Integer elementum sem nec lectus. Curabitur rutrum nulla in felis. Morbi mattis turpis id diam. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum sollicitudin lectus. Morbi lorem augue, suscipit nec, iaculis eu, tincidunt quis, erat. Duis at ante sit amet dui molestie scelerisque. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Vivamus sodales, risus eu lobortis posuere, justo turpis laoreet ante, eget aliquet nunc metus in erat. Praesent imperdiet orci. Quisque sapien nulla, interdum quis, viverra vel, varius et, lacus. Proin nec risus a ante egestas dictum.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus gravida. Etiam neque lacus, pulvinar a, sollicitudin in, scelerisque suscipit, risus. Vivamus tristique ipsum ac libero. Suspendisse at turpis. Fusce tincidunt, nisi ut porta porta, quam nibh posuere metus, non euismod pede tellus ullamcorper nisi. Praesent dignissim enim consequat odio. Nullam sed velit a arcu volutpat vulputate. Morbi vel est. Vestibulum suscipit nulla blandit libero. Ut aliquam velit in erat. Donec rhoncus ligula quis ante. Morbi fermentum erat in nibh. Suspendisse elit pede, commodo eleifend, faucibus at, eleifend ac, nunc. Phasellus interdum, mauris vitae egestas tempor, ligula sapien vulputate risus, vel placerat tellus ipsum quis tortor. Etiam sodales, tellus eget molestie blandit, metus turpis volutpat arcu, vehicula gravida diam massa vehicula elit. Aliquam id ante. In in ipsum at sapien condimentum varius.
Quisque sem diam, ullamcorper et, volutpat et, dignissim sit amet, ligula. Praesent accumsan justo vitae metus. Nunc pretium aliquet libero. Nulla ut pede et lectus iaculis accumsan. Nulla aliquet arcu at quam. Pellentesque cursus adipiscing dolor. Suspendisse volutpat magna id nisi. Ut pretium nisi in elit. Curabitur id arcu. Maecenas eu quam. Curabitur ultricies, lectus quis commodo dignissim, felis turpis vehicula arcu, ac faucibus risus metus vitae turpis. Maecenas et lacus ut enim vulputate interdum. Mauris ut diam ut urna laoreet tristique. Aenean malesuada consectetur erat.
Phasellus eleifend, velit at semper fringilla, metus dolor hendrerit dui, id consequat enim purus vitae est. Sed tristique. Quisque hendrerit ullamcorper tortor. Vivamus pretium fringilla lacus. Maecenas in mi quis lorem auctor egestas. Vivamus quis urna dapibus sem euismod congue. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Mauris metus sem, molestie in, tristique non, pellentesque a, enim. Aenean eleifend urna sit amet libero. Cras in diam. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla porttitor pharetra quam. Cras ac massa in nisi semper rutrum. Aliquam at tellus. Morbi tincidunt.
In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin consequat bibendum tortor. Phasellus mollis, lectus non imperdiet ultrices, magna elit fermentum orci, rhoncus varius urna mi at est. Aenean ut velit. Pellentesque velit nunc, ullamcorper vel, iaculis cursus, facilisis non, nisl. Nam pede diam, venenatis sit amet, consequat vel, malesuada quis, enim. Ut adipiscing, turpis pulvinar mattis ultrices, enim mi euismod arcu, in imperdiet nunc nisl id pede. Maecenas non dolor. Nullam mi turpis, hendrerit ut, ultricies id, lacinia sit amet, turpis. Sed accumsan, ipsum at faucibus scelerisque, nisi neque commodo ante, sed tincidunt massa lectus in eros. Sed bibendum turpis scelerisque purus. Pellentesque vitae ipsum. Duis sodales fringilla ante. Pellentesque posuere posuere tellus. Phasellus gravida laoreet risus. Integer vitae felis tincidunt felis vulputate semper. Duis semper sem a pede. Praesent quis lectus vel felis varius feugiat. Phasellus ipsum nulla, auctor eget, euismod at, elementum ac, pede.
Proin venenatis augue sit amet felis hendrerit lacinia. In molestie augue sed arcu. Mauris posuere velit eu leo. Mauris commodo. Aenean lacinia dignissim libero. Curabitur quis enim quis augue interdum facilisis. Integer elementum sem nec lectus. Curabitur rutrum nulla in felis. Morbi mattis turpis id diam. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum sollicitudin lectus. Morbi lorem augue, suscipit nec, iaculis eu, tincidunt quis, erat. Duis at ante sit amet dui molestie scelerisque. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Vivamus sodales, risus eu lobortis posuere, justo turpis laoreet ante, eget aliquet nunc metus in erat. Praesent imperdiet orci. Quisque sapien nulla, interdum quis, viverra vel, varius et, lacus. Proin nec risus a ante egestas dictum.