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Guidelines for Designing User Interface Elements

This topic describes guidelines that you can use to design user interface elements.

Guidelines for Designing a Task View

Use the following guidelines when you design a task view:

• Avoid redundancy. For example, avoid using multiple buttons that perform the same function. Displaying more than one button that performs the same function increases uncertainty and unnecessarily increases the complexity of the view.
• Focus the content of the task UI. Configure task UI to display only data that is specific to the current step. This technique helps to simplify the UI.
• Focus feedback that the task UI provides. The current task pane provides feedback to the user about the progress that the user makes in a task instance. Make sure this feedback is succinct and relates only to the job task that the user is currently performing.
• Use an applet message. If you configure task UI to combine dynamic data, such as with a business component and a transient business component, then you can use an applet message. For more information, see Overview of Transient Data.
• Use a radio button or picklist. You can configure task UI to use a radio button or picklist to help the user make a decision.
• Override default method disabling. In most situations, you must disable a default method. The following are common exceptions:
  • A New button on a list applet for nonloop operation.
  • A Query button that constrains data.
• Avoid using a button that navigates the user to a different view. A button or a script must not navigate the user to a different view. If this situation occurs, then the task UI pauses. A service that calls a server component must not assume that it works on task data that Siebel CRM has not saved.
• Avoid modifying the look and feel of a template. You typical do not need to modify a template. You can use the IsInTask, target Task UI Service (SWE) to determine whether Siebel CRM must run a section of a template only in task mode.
• Avoid using a search specification on an applet. Instead of using a search specification on an applet, use a search specification on a task view step. This technique helps to avoid confusion if you reuse an applet across task views.
• Use a consistent approach to page design. For example, when designing a page, do the following:
  • Begin with the page type. For example, Overview, Work, Review, or Summary.
  • Proceed with the page title.
  • Finish completing the task design.

For more information, see About the Task View.

Guidelines for Using a Form Applet and a List Applet

Use a list applet to do the following:

• Display a list of items.
• Allow the user to create a list of items.

You might find you do not use a list view in a task UI as often as you use a list view in the standard UI. Apply the following guidelines:

• Use a list applet for a list or summary view.
• If the user must modify data in a record, then use a form applet. The form applet focuses user attention on a single record.
• Use a Siebel operation step to allow the user to create a new record. Use a view step that includes a form applet that displays a new record that includes empty fields that the user finishes. Siebel CRM typically uses a list view that allows the user to click New to create a new record in the standard UI. This configuration is not necessary in a task UI, particularly if the user only creates a single record.

Guidelines for Reusing Views and Applets

To enforce the simpler layout requirements of a task UI, it is recommended that you create a new applet and view or modify a predefined view and applet. You can use the CSSSWEFrame template to avoid performance problems that might occur with specialized code when you create a new applet.

Guidelines for Designing Buttons and Menus

If you design buttons and menus, then use the following guidelines:

• Do not configure Siebel CRM to open a task UI that creates a new record from outside the task pane. If Siebel CRM does not yet display a record, then you might need to disable a button that opens a task. A button or menu requires at least one record from the business component that the task UI references. Siebel CRM must reference this business component when it creates a task instance. If the business component includes no records, then Siebel CRM cannot reference it and cannot create a task instance, and an error occurs.
• Make sure you deploy the task UI before you add a button or menu to start the task. You must activate the task before the user can use a button or menu item to start it. If you do not activate it, then Siebel CRM displays a run-time error in the Siebel client.
• Do not create menus and buttons that perform the same function. For example, avoid including the top and bottom task playbar applets on the same view. Instead, include only the top task playbar applet or only the bottom task playbar applet.

Guidelines for Using the Default Focus

Include a default focus that prompts the user to perform an action. For example:

• Place the default focus on the Next button. On an overview page, the user typically clicks Next.
• Define the cursor to display in the first editable field. On a content page, the user typically edits the first editable field.

Guidelines for Designing the Structure and Content of a Page

This topic describes guidelines for designing the structure and content of a page.

Guidelines for Designing the Structure of a Page

Use the following guidelines to design the structure of a page that displays in a task UI:

• Include a title for the task UI that describes the goal of the task. For example: Create a New Account.
• Include a page title that is concise. Each page title can be an explicit statement of the purpose of the page.
• Include a page explanation. Briefly elaborate on the purpose of the page.

Guidelines for Designing the Content of a Page

Table 22 describes types of content that Siebel CRM can display on a page and their recommended usage. Make sure the page only includes content that supports the purpose of the page.

Guidelines for User Interface Styles to Avoid

Avoid using the following items:

• Avoid using a drilldown. For example, consider the Contact screen in the standard UI that displays a list of contacts. If the user clicks the Account Name field in the list view of the Contact screen, then Siebel CRM navigates the user to the Account screen that displays the chosen account. This functionality is known as a drilldown.

  Siebel CRM does not allow a drilldown in a task UI. Using a drilldown requires Siebel CRM to pause the task so that it can navigate the user to the standard UI view that the drilldown references.

• Avoid using a button on an applet.
• Avoid a design style that uses a vertical or a horizontal scroll bar. The scroll bar disorients the user.
• Avoid including too many applets in a view. Keep the design of each view as simple as possible.
• Avoid redundancy. Avoid including multiple buttons or applets that perform the same function.