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Configuration Guidelines for Siebel Handheld

There are a few general guidelines you should bear in mind when configuring for the Siebel Handheld application. Use these guidelines when you design any new objects for the Siebel Handheld Client. This approach facilitates a logical separation of the Siebel Handheld Client user interface elements from the Siebel Web Client user interface elements.

• Identify User Activities

  To conserve memory (and thereby improve performance) and ease navigation, identify business processes that are required by end users and develop applications that support these processes. If more than one type of user needs a Siebel Handheld Client application, it is preferable to divide the application into multiple responsibilities rather than give all possible users access to all available screens and views. Responsibilities are fully configurable by the application developer.

• Limit the number of screens and views

  Limit the number of screens and views. Determine critical business processes that the handheld will support and only pick the views that are necessary and make sense based on business requirements.

• Limit the number of applets for each view

  Design each view so that it has one or, at most, two applets. Limiting the number of applets enhances performance, and enriches the user experience.

  NOTE:  In some instances, Siebel Systems found it necessary to create a view with three applets in its handheld applications. For these views, a toggle button was added to the applet so that the user can easily navigate between the two child applets.

• Limit the number of columns and fields for each applet

  Design each applet so that it only contains columns and fields that are required for end-user tasks.

• Design applications that contain as few screen and view hierarchy levels as possible

  In a Web-based application, you may have views with many applets, and the user toggles between the applets. However, for handheld applications, create a larger number of views with fewer applets to allow users to quickly find information with a minimal amount of toggling.

• Design for the Handheld Screen

  Consider the following questions when designing your applets:

  • If you are using a list applet, how wide is that list applet going to be?
  • What are the most important fields and columns that a user needs to see at a glance before scrolling?
  • If you have a form applet that is a parent, for example, what fields do you really need in order to avoid scrolling?
  • Because there is less screen space on a handheld device than on a laptop or desktop, the most important data should be immediately visible.