Latest revision as of 14:02, 28 September 2014

KDE User Interface Guidelines

The KDE Human interface guidelines (HIG) offer application designers and developers a set of recommendations. Their aim is to improve the experience for users by making application interfaces more consistent and hence more intuitive and learnable.

Getting Started

Design Vision and Principles - The overall vision and principles that guide the design and development of user interfaces for KDE software.
Concept - Creating a project vision, determining the users, and the scenarios of use.
Organization - Guidelines on how an application’s content and functionality are ordered and categorized.

Behaviour

This section contains guidelines for application behaviour.

Viewing and Navigation - Guidelines on controls and patterns to use for viewing, navigating and performing actions on application content.
Editing and Manipulation - Guidelines on controls and patterns to use for selection and input.
User Assistance - Guidelines on tooltips, notifications, messages and help.
Patterns - Guidelines on how to use controls in certain combinations to to accomplish specific behaviors.

Presentation

Presentation deals with the visual design of the user interface.

Layout - Guidelines regarding the placement and ordering of onscreen elements. Includes guidance on layout patterns, alignment, size and spacing.
Style - Guidelines on the use of colour, icon design and the typography to communicate with a consistent visual vocabulary.
Text - Guidelines for the written, language-based elements of the interface. Includes guidelines on wording, capitalization and localization.

Tools and Resources

The following tools and resources are offered to help with following these guidelines.

Controls List - A complete listing of all user interface controls and their guidelines in alphabetical order.
Mockup Toolkit - Includes UI controls stencils, color swatches and fonts to help create the visual design your application.
Visual Design Group forum - Ask for help and share your design ideas.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Getting Started ==
 * [https://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/HIG/Presentation/DesignVisionPrinciples Design Vision and Principles] - The overall vision and principles that guide the design and development of user interfaces for KDE software.
-* [[User:Andrew/HIG/ConceptualModel|Concept]] -  Covers creating a project vision, determining the users, and the scenarios of use.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/ConceptualModel|Concept]] -  Creating a project vision, determining the users, and the scenarios of use.
-*  [[User:Andrew/HIG/OrganizationalModel|Organization]] - Provides guidance on how the application’s content and functionality are ordered and categorized.
+*  [[User:Andrew/HIG/OrganizationalModel|Organization]] - Guidelines on how an application’s content and functionality are ordered and categorized.
 == Behaviour ==
 This section contains guidelines for application behaviour.
-* [[User:Andrew/HIG/ViewAndNavigation|Viewing and Navigation]] - Encompasses the wide variety of behaviors and operations that allow users to navigate the interface and affect its presentation.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/ViewAndNavigation|Viewing and Navigation]] - Guidelines on controls and patterns to use for viewing, navigating and performing actions on application content.
-* [[User:Andrew/HIG/EditingAndManipulation|Editing and Manipulation]] - Covers the behaviors that result in permanent changes to user’s stored information.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/EditingAndManipulation|Editing and Manipulation]] - Guidelines on controls and patterns to use for selection and input.
-* [[User:Andrew/HIG/UserAssistance|User Assistance]] - Considers behaviours that inform users of the application’s activity and status. This includes help, error alerts, and status alerts.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/UserAssistance|User Assistance]] - Guidelines on tooltips, notifications, messages and help.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/Patterns|Patterns]] - Guidelines on how to use controls in certain combinations to to accomplish specific behaviors.
 == Presentation ==
-Presentation deals with visual design of the user interface. It’s all about the appearance of the application including layout, spacing, colours, fonts, icon designs, etc.
+Presentation deals with the visual design of the user interface.
-* [https://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/HIG/Layout Layout] - Guidance regarding the placement and ordering of onscreen elements. Includes guidance on layout patterns, alignment, size and spacing.
+* [https://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/HIG/Layout Layout] - Guidelines regarding the placement and ordering of onscreen elements. Includes guidance on layout patterns, alignment, size and spacing.
-* [[User:Andrew/HIG/Style|Style]] - Style is concerned with emotion, tone, and visual vocabulary. Style is influenced by the use of colour, the design of icons throughout the interface and the typography.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/Style|Style]] - Guidelines on the use of colour, icon design and the typography to communicate with a consistent visual vocabulary.
-* [[User:Andrew/HIG/Text|Text]] - Guidance for the written, language-based elements of the interface. Includes guidance on wording, capitalization and localization.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/Text|Text]] - Guidelines for the written, language-based elements of the interface. Includes guidelines on wording, capitalization and localization.
 == Tools and Resources ==
-The following tools and resources are offered to help with implementing these guidelines.
+The following tools and resources are offered to help with following these guidelines.
+* [[User:Andrew/HIG/ControlsList|Controls List]] - A complete listing of all user interface controls and their guidelines in alphabetical order.
 * [https://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/HIG/MockupToolkit Mockup Toolkit] - Includes UI controls stencils, color swatches and fonts to help create the visual design your application.
 * [http://forum.kde.org/viewforum.php?f=285 Visual Design Group forum] - Ask for help and share your design ideas.