[thelist] radio/checkbox usability

McCreath_David McCreath_David at xmail.asd.k12.ak.us
Fri Jan 26 13:58:34 CST 2001


>notice the hover?
>
>i'm trying to guage the usability impact of this (without 
>implementing it and bringing in a focus group)... and here's where i 
>am...
>
>- it only works on browsers that support <label> and CSS, so it 
>won't confuse users that surf in NN3 (por ejemplo), and it will 
>degrade well if you don't have CSS enabled somehow...

good

>- it doesn't work precisely like most radio buttons or checkboxes in 
>my OS, since most of them don't have a color change on hover...

The problem with the color change is that it signals a link, not just an
action. When text changes color on a web page, I assume that it's going to
take me somewhere.

>- the cursor stays an arrow and does not become a hand, so it 
>doesn't signal that it's a link in the standard sense...

which is good, in light of my above comment

>- the rollover color is different than the link color on the page... i 
>wonder if having them the same would be problematic...

See above. I don't think it should change color. I think it should just be
there and available. They had to put in a color to let people know that they
could do it, but I think it actually confuses the issue.

>overall i think it can be very useful... any ideas?

I like it, and I'm going to start using it, but without a color change. When
somebody figures it out, they'll use it, and if they never figure it out, it
won't matter and it won't confuse anyone.

David




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