User Interface Metaphors
Trend: User Interface Metaphors
Metaphors can be both powerful and limiting. On the one hand, they connect the user with a familiar mental model and method of interaction. On the other, they limit user interface design by restricting one medium (digital world) by the constraints of another (physical world). In exchange for providing something familiar, we are failing to break out of the mold and take full advantage of all that the digital medium has to offer.
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Tweets that mention User Interface Metaphors | User Interface Trends -- Topsy.com
Sep 17, 2009
9:58 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson said: User Interface Metaphors http://bit.ly/2UCynV [...]
Allan
Sep 18, 2009
6:52 am
Hmmmm. I don’t know which way to vote on this one, so I won’t. A metaphor that is close fitting to the solution space can be a powerful aid in managing a user’s intuition. But it doesn’t take much of a miss to introduce surprise and lack of anticipation in the user interface.
Max
Sep 21, 2009
4:10 am
Metaphors are quite powerful as you rightly say. However, it’s easy to carry it too far. The On/Off switch in the bottom left of above graphic is a prime example. A whole lot of precious screen real estate used while not effectively conveying it state.
IMHO, a metaphor should be primarily used as an inspiration for the UI as a whole, while using standard OS controls for the individual elements. Either that, or find an effective idiom.