atw: Re: Touchscreen - buttons, icons, keys, tokens, symbols?

I tend to use 'Select X' rather than 'press' or 'click on' or whatever so that 
the documentation applies regardless of the access device they are using 
(mouse, keyboard, touchpad).
 
If possible I would avoid using any type of object descriptor at all - 'Select 
Enter' rather than 'Select the enter key'.  If you need clarification maybe 
Select Enter (this appears as a grey icon at the bottom of the screen with the 
word Enter on it).
 
My plan is always avoidance (don't call it anything if you don't have to) and 
vagueness (don't tell them how to select, just select)!

-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Charles_Boyle@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, 20 July 2006 2:41 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Touchscreen - buttons, icons, keys, tokens, symbols?



Hi guys, 
A quick query on touchscreen terminology. We're developing a new product  that 
is designed to run on a touchscreen terminal. The entire user interface will be 
through the touchscreen (unless they plug in a keyboard, a mouse, a laptop or 
dial in remotely, but that's not the issue - yet). My question is, What should 
the active parts of the screen be called? My preference at the moment is to 
call the screen objects -  icons, given that they are....well, iconic! The 
screen is a resistive touchscreen, therefore I've gone with  "Press the  XXX 
icon" - as basic terminology, along with a snapshot of the icon. 
A bit of a spanner in the works is the virtual keyboard that allows you to 
enter information  "Press the enter icon" sounds odd as it's a keyboard layout; 
"Press the enter key" associates it with the keyboard theme, but then it isn't 
consistent. 
I'm steering away from button as a term, as there are a few buttons on the 
terminal and research shows our clients would spend all day looking for a 
physical button to press, and then ring up asking complaining that they don't 
have one of those. Basically I'm just bouncing this around for comments, 
suggestions or other ideas. 

Cheers, 

Charles B. 


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