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

You could use the terminology of the PDA world, where users tap on icons.

JH


On 20 Jul 2006, at 2:41 PM, Charles_Boyle@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:


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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