Module 3:

Structures of Menus
Single Menus
 In this simplest form of menu, a single screen or window is
presented to seek the user’s input or request an action to be
performed
 Eg: In playing a game, choices presented may be “novice,”
“intermediate,” or “expert.”
 A single menu may be iterative if it requires the user to input
data, and if the data entered is not valid, the menu will be
presented to the user again with a message requesting the re-
entry of valid data. This process will continue until the user
enters valid data.

Sequential linear menus

 are presented on a series of screens in a fixed order.
 and their purpose is typically to gather information from the
user, such as specifying parameters or entering data. These
menus are typically organized in a linear manner, meaning that
the user must navigate through each menu screen in a specific
order

 example could be a survey where the user needs to answer

questions in a specific order, cannot go back to previous
questions and needs to fill in all the fields in order to submit the
survey.
Simultaneous Menus
Instead of being presented on separate screens, all menu options are
available simultaneously.
Simultaneous Menus refers to a type of menu system in which
multiple options or choices are presented to the user at the same time,
rather than in a sequential or linear manner.
This allows the user to navigate through the menu in any order they
choose, skipping or returning to options as desired.
All the alternatives are visible to the user at all times, allowing them
to easily compare choices, change answers, or remind themselves of
previous selections.
This type of menu system is designed to reduce the tedium associated
with a long series of sequential menus, giving the user more control
over the process and making it more user-friendly.
A hierarchical structure
 can best be represented as an tree, leading to more and more branches as
one moves downward through it.
 Hierarchical structures are characterized by depth and breadth,.
 Depth being the number of choice levels one must traverse to Reach the
destination,
 breadth being the number of alternatives found at each level.
 Examples: menu bars with their associated pull-downs

Connected menus
Networks of menus all interconnected in some manner.
The biggest advantage of a connected menu network is that it gives
the user full control over the navigation flow.
Its disadvantage is its complexity,
Event-Trapping Menus
 it is It's worth mentioning that this type of menu is not common
anymore, replaced by modern UI elements that are more user-
friendly, such as dropdown menus, and context menus.
 A Paste option in a word-processing application, for example,
will only function if there is something in a clipboard to paste.
 Provide an ever-present background of control over the systems
state and parameters while the user is working on a foreground
task
 the menu system is always accessible to the user, even while
they are actively engaged in other tasks. This allows the user to
quickly and easily adjust the system's settings or parameters
without having to leave their current task or workflow.
Functions of Menu ( own explainaation)

to navigate to a new menu,

Each user selection causes another menu in a hierarchical menu tree
to be displayed.
T he purpose of each selection is to steer the user toward that
objective or goal, by providing them with a clear path through the
menu options and helping them to find the option they need.

 to execute an action or procedure,

It states that when a user makes a selection from the menu, it directs
the computer to implement an action
The action could be something simple like opening or closing a file,
copying text, or sending a message
the user must select options from multiple levels of menus before the
action is performed

to display information,

The main purpose of selecting a menu choice may simply be to
display information.
The user may be searching for specific information in a database or
browsing the Web.
The user’s focus is primarily on the information desired and less on
the selection function.
 data or parameters input.
Data or values may be input on a single menu or spread over a
hierarchy of menus.
Contents of Menus (Own words)/Elements of menu content

Menu consists of four elements,

 its context
 A menu’s context provides information to keep the user
oriented.
 Feedback is necessary that tells users where they are in a
process, what their past choices were, and possibly how much
farther they still have to navigate.
 Verbal linkage, spatial linkage, used to provide navigation
feedback.
 Verbal linkage involves providing, on the screen, a list of
choices made on previous menus that have led to this position.
 Spatial linkage can be accomplished by graphic methods.
its title
provides the context for the current set of choices.
The title must reflect the choice selected on the previously displayed
menu.

 its choice descriptions

Choice descriptions are the alternatives available to the user.
These descriptions can range from a mnemonic, numeric, or
alphabetized listing of choices to single words or phrases to full
sentences.
 its completion instructions.
Tell users how to select their choices.
They may include the rationale (set of reasons) for why the user is
being asked to make this choice and the impact the choice will have
on subsequent processes.

Formatting of Menus: Guidelines (CCODP- IGLO)

Consistency
Display
Presentation
Organization
Complexity
Item Arrangement
Ordering
Grouping
Line Separator

1)Consistency
■ Provide consistency with the user’s expectations.
■ Provide consistency in menu:
— Formatting, including organization, presentation, and choice
ordering.
— Phrasing, including titles, choice descriptions, and instructions.
— Choice selection methods.
— Navigation schemes.

Display
Whether to display a menu continually, or on demand, is determined
by the menu’s frequency of use.
Always permanently display menus that are frequently referenced.
Occasionally needed menus may be presented on request via pop-ups
or pull-downs.

Presentation
A menu and its choices should be immediately recognizable by the
user as being a menu of choices.
Ensure that other system elements do not possess qualities that allow
users to confuse them with menu choices.
In Web page design, for example, the underlining of any system
component other than navigation links is not recommended because
of the possibility that they may be confused with links

Complexity
■ Provide both simple and complex menus.
■ Simple: a minimal set of actions and menus.
■ Complex: a complete set of actions and menus.

Item Arrangement
■ Align alternatives or choices into single columns whenever
possible.
— Orient for top-to-bottom reading.
— Left-justify descriptions.
■ If a horizontal orientation of descriptions is maintained:
— Organize for left-to-right reading.
Organization
■ Provide a general or main menu.
■ Display:
— All relevant alternatives.
— Only relevant alternatives.
• Delete or gray-out inactive choices.
■ Match the menu structure to the structure of the task.
—reflect the most efficient sequence of steps to accomplish a most
frequent or most likely goals.

Ordering
■ Order lists of choices by their natural order
■ For lists associated with numbers, use numeric order.
■ For textual lists with a small number of options (seven or less),
order by:
Sequence of occurrence, Frequency of occurrence, Importance,
Semantic similarity.
■ Use alphabetic order for:
— Long lists (eight or more options).

Groupings
■ Create groupings of items that are logical, distinctive, meaningful,
and mutually exclusive.
Categorize them in such a way as to:
— Maximize the similarity of items within a category.
■ Present no more than six or seven groupings on a screen.
■ Order categorized groupings in a meaningful way.

‘
Kinds of Graphical Menus (v.v.v.imp_)
1. Menu Bar (10marks may be asked )
The highest-level graphical system menu is commonly called the
menu bar.
A menu bar consists of a collection of descriptions that serve as
headings or titles for a series of actions on an associated pull-down
menu.
A menu bar choice by itself should not initiate an action.
The menu is typically arrayed in a horizontal row at the top of a
window.
menu bar is referred to as a collection of menu titles.
A menu bar is the starting point for many dialogs.
Each menu bar item is the top level of a hierarchical menu. It will
have a pull-down menu associated with it, detailing the specific
actions that may be performed.
‘

The advantages of menu bars are that they:

2. Are always visible, reminding the user of their existence.
3. Are easy to browse through.
4. Are easy to locate consistently on the screen.
 5. Usually do not obscure(disturb) the screen working area.
6. Allow for use of keyboard equivalents. (ex : CTRL+C)
The disadvantages of menu bars are that:
1. They consume a full row of screen space.
2. They require looking away from the main working area to find.
3. The menu options are smaller than full-size buttons, slowing
selection time.
4. Their horizontal orientation is less efficient for scanning.

2. Pull Down Menu (10marks)

Pull-downs are first-level menus used to provide access to common
and frequently used application actions that take place on a wide
variety of different windows. They are most useful for a small number
of rarely changing items, usually about 5 to 10.

The advantages of pull-down menus are:

The menu bar cues a reminder of their existence.
They may be located relatively consistently on the screen.
.No window space is consumed when they are not used.
.They are easy to browse through.
.Their vertical orientation is most efficient for scanning.
.Their vertical orientation is most efficient for grouping.
.Their vertical orientation permits more choices to be displayed.
.They allow for display of both keyboard equivalents and accelerators.

The disadvantages of pull-down menus are:

They require searching and selecting from another menu before
seeing options.
They require looking away from main working area to read.

3. Cascading Menus
■ Proper usage:
— To reduce the number of choices presented together for selection
— When a menu specifies many alternatives and the alternatives can
be grouped in meaningful related sets on a lower-level menu.
— When a choice leads to a short, fixed list of single-choice
properties.
— When there are several fixed sets of related options.
— To simplify a menu.
— Avoid using for frequent, repetitive commands.
advantages
The top-level menus are simplified because some choices are hidden.
More first-letter mnemonics are available because menus possess
fewer alternatives.
High-level command browsing is easier because subtopics are hidden.
The disadvantages of cascading menus are:
Access to submenu items requires more steps.Access to submenu
items requires a change in pointer movement direction.
Exhaustive browsing is more difficult; some alternatives remain
hidden as pull- downs become visible.

5. Pop up Menu
Choices may also be presented to the user on the screen through
pop-up menus, vertically arrayed listings that only appear when
specifically requested.

The advantages of pop-up menus are:

 They appear in the working area.
 They do not use window space when not displayed.
 No pointer movement is needed if selected by button.
 Their vertical orientation is most efficient scanning.
 Their vertical orientation most efficient for grouping.
 Their vertical orientation allows more choices to be
displayed.
 They may be able to remain showing (“pinned”) when
used frequently.
 They allow for display of both keyboard equivalents and
accelerators.
The disadvantages of pop-up menus are:
 Their existence must be learned and remembered.
 Means for selecting them must be learned and
remembered.
 They require a special action to see the menu (mouse
click).
 Items are smaller than full-size buttons, slowing selection
time.
 They may obscure the screen working area.
 Their display locations may not be consistent.

6. Tear down Menu

A tear-off menu is a pull-down menu that can be positioned
anywhere on the screen for constant referral.
Possesses all the characteristics of a pull-down. It may also be
called a pushpin, detachable, or roll-up menu.
Its purpose is to present alternatives or choices to the screen user
that are needed infrequently at some times and heavily at other times.
Advantages
No space is consumed on the screen when the menu is not needed.
When needed, it can remain continuously displayed.
It does require extra steps to retrieve
disadvantages.
it may obscure the screen working area.

Iconic Menus
An iconic menu is the portrayal of menu items or objects in a graphic
or pictorial form,
The purpose of an iconic menu is to remind users of the functions,
commands, at- tributes, or application choices available.

Advantages/disadvantages. (own )
Icons and provide better way of understanding
disadvantages
Icons consume more space
To create meaningful icons requires special skills
time consume

Pie Menus
A pie menu is a circular representation of menu items,

Default Menu Items

Every system will provide a set of standard menu items. Using the
default items will reduce design time and encourage interface
consistency.
System learning time will also be reduced. Microsoft Windows, for
example, provides the following standard and optional menu bar
items and pull-down actions. Always follow industry standards for
naming, menu bar choices, ordering, and keyboard equivalents and
accelerators.

Phrasing the Menu (idk the answer)

A menu must communicate to the user information about:
The nature and purpose of the menu itself.
The nature and purpose of each presented choice.
How the proper choice or choices may be selected?