5 Top-Level Navigation - Sun Web Application Guidelines

Sun Web Application Guidelines - Version 4.1

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How To Use These Guidelines - An Introduction

5 Top-Level Navigation > 5.5 Common Tasks Page > 5.5.2 Navigational Tasks

5.5.2 Navigational Tasks

The Common Tasks page is a convenient way to bring users to a part of the object-oriented (OO) UI that is otherwise reachable through another navigation style (see 5.1 Choosing a Navigation Style for more information). By invoking a navigational task, no data or system state is modified.

Required

When clicking the common task button takes the user to a specific page:

R1 One click on the common task button replaces the Common Tasks page with another page. There is neither a wizard nor a confirmation needed with this interaction.
R2 The button label includes a verb (the context-setting action, such as Go to or Find) and a noun (what is being navigated to). The verb should describe the actual task of context-setting ("View" should not be used.) Examples:

Go to System Overview

Go to Log Settings Page

Go to Recent Alarms

Go to Monitoring Page

Go to Log Viewer

When clicking the common task button takes the user to a specific object (among many):

R3 A wizard is used to set context -- to choose the specific object. The wizard includes a search which might have one field or several depending on the application needs. When the user clicks the Next button, display the search results on the next wizard step. Above the results table, repeat the search field(s) and place a Search Again button to the right of or below them. The user can then search again on that same page, or alternatively click the Previous button to re-enter the search criteria on the previous step in the wizard sequence.

Note: In the context of the task wizard described above the button label is Search Again (not just Search).
R4 When the wizard is complete, the main window is replaced with the selected object's page.
R5 The button label includes a verb (the context-setting action, such as Find or Go to) and a noun (what is being navigated to). The verb should describe the actual task of context-setting ("View" should not be used).

Examples:
- Find a Person
- Go To an Instance

5.5.2.1 Navigational Tasks: Flow Diagrams

Click on the links in the table below to jump to flow diagrams with more details about the interactions that take place when the user clicks on a common task.

Navigational Task Flow Diagram	Description
5.5.2.1.1 Navigation with One Step to Object or Place	When clicking a common task button takes the user directly to a specific object or place in the application.
5.5.2.1.2 Navigation to Specific Instance From Among Up to 25 Objects	The items are listed and the user chooses one. The following methods can be used: List items in a table with selection radio buttons. Include additional columns of attributes for identification purposes if they are useful. Use a list box with at least 4 visible rows plus vertical scrollbars.
5.5.2.1.3 Navigation to Specific Instance From Among 25 to 150 Objects	The items are listed and the user can choose one or perform a search to narrow down the list. For the list, you can use one of these methods: List items in a table with selection radio buttons (paginated when necessary). Include additional columns of attributes for identification purposes, and offer basic filter and sort if they are useful. Use a list box with at least 4 visible rows plus vertical scrollbars. Also include a search so users can quickly find a recognizable item.
5.5.2.1.4 Navigation to Specific Instance From Among More Than 150 Objects	The items are not listed. The user should search to narrow down the list.

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