[IxDA Discuss] select exact number widget?

[Charles Zicari]

I really like John's solution.  Very elegant.  

The scenario in which I can see it not working is when all selectable
options do not appear in the viewable area of the screen. In fact, this
is one of the areas where comparison shopping sites generally do a
pretty lousy job.  For example, if you have multiple pages of results
from which you are selecting how does the user a) track what they have
already selected as they move from page to page and b) how many
selections they have left to make to reach the max allowed.        

I faced a similar problem recently when working on a project where the
user could compare up to 4 items side by side. We proposed a tray with 4
slots for thumbnail images that would always be visible when the user
was on a page where one (e.g., product detail page) or more items (e.g.,
search results) could be added to the comparison set.  Once an item was
in the tray it could be removed by simply clicking a remove link.  

Of course, if everything is only selectable from a single screen, I'd go
with John's idea.  

Charlie Zicari
 

John wrote:
> If there must always be exactly two things selected, you could turn
the
> problem around.  Imagine the list of choices is visible, and by
default
> two of them are labelled somehow (say, with tags that say "1" and
"2").
> The UI would then allow the user to move the tags to any position on
the
> list (except over top of each other), rather than moving the list
items
> themselves.
> 
> An advantage of this approach is that it ensures that there are always
> two items selected; you don't have invalid intermediate states, where
> zero or one items have been selected.
> 
> There are all kinds of refinements you could make on such a design, of
> course.
> 



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This email is intended only for the person or entity to which it is
addressed
and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise
protected from disclosure. Dissemination, distribution or copying of this
email or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient,
or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the
intended
recipient, is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please
immediately notify us by calling our Help Desk at (415) 581-5552 or
by e-mailing us at helpdesk at organic.com.

________________________________________________________________
Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
(Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org


This message and its attachments may contain legally privileged or
confidential information. It is intended solely for the named addressee. If
you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for
delivery of the message to the addressee), you may not copy or deliver this
message or its attachments to anyone. Rather, you should permanently delete
this message and its attachments and kindly notify the sender by reply
e-mail. Any content of this message and its attachments which does not
relate to the official business of the sending company must be taken not to
have been sent or endorsed by that company or any of its related entities.
No warranty is made that the e-mail or attachment(s) are free from computer
virus or other defect.


This message and its attachments may contain legally privileged or confidential information. It is intended solely for the named addressee. If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery of the message to the addressee), you may not copy or deliver this message or its attachments to anyone. Rather, you should permanently delete this message and its attachments and kindly notify the sender by reply e-mail. Any content of this message and its attachments which does not relate to the official business of the sending company must be taken not to have been sent or endorsed by that company or any of its related entities. No warranty is made that the e-mail or attachment(s) are free from computer virus or other defect.