[IxDA Discuss] Best practice: hiding groups of widgets within a complex form?

[Bill Fernandez]

Assuming that all users need to at have all fields available to them 
(which would prevent you from showing fewer fields based upon the 
current user), one approach I often use is to divide the form into 
logical sections, place each section on a separate, tabbed panel, and 
label the tabs something like "Step 1", Step 2", etc.

Would that work for you?

--Bill Fernandez


At 5:24 PM -0400 6/13/07, Alan Wexelblat wrote:
>I'm trying to figure out how to give people a way to simplify a
>visually complex form.  This is a PC desktop application, not Web, and
>I don't have the option to break the form apart.
>
>Current technology is something like an enhanced group box
>(http://developer.kde.org/language-bindings/ruby/colortooltutorial/dialog3grpbox.png)
>with a button-like target in the corner (like a + or open/close
>chevron) that would collapse related groups of widgets, or shrink the
>area in some way.
>
>I haven't seen any good examples of UIs that do this, or design
>patterns I could look at for inspiration.  Anyone got any thoughts?

-- 

======================================================================
Bill Fernandez  *  User Interface Architect  *  Bill Fernandez Design

(505) 346-3080  *  bf_list1 AT billfernandez DOT com  * 
http://billfernandez.com
======================================================================