Where users are completing forms or similar, from left to right and top to bottom, then natural flow suggests the "next" button be bottom right. Whether they are a keyboard or mouse user isn't the point in my opinion.
By having only one submit button on the page (for "next") and a hyperlink for "back" (or similar), keyboard users (who often don't bother checking the location of the button visually from testing i've done) have no problem anyway, because hitting the Return button still does what they expect. On the other hand, users who look for the button see it exactly where they expect to. In that way you give users what they visually expect, without in any way disrupting keyboard users. Lee http://leemcivor.co.uk/ ----- Original Message ---- From: Brett Lutchman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Todd Zaki Warfel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: Tamlyn Rhodes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; IxDA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, 17 September, 2008 14:44:08 Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Next & previous button order Todd I am partly agreeing with you on this. If you look at my statement I am speaking about keyboard savvy users. Mouse users move comfortably (in order) bottom right, top left, top right, bottom left. Regardless of whether or not they are mouse users, and regardless whether or not they look bottom right first. A mouse user will take more time to consider their actions then a keyboard savvy user would, and will find the Next button on the left if they don't see it on the right. Again, my saying that the 'Next' button being on the left is not so much the only rule, but rather the reduction of the probability of disruption. A mouse user will eventually find the button on the left if it's not on the right. A keyboard savvy would have their flow broken and would have to press the forward button again, and maybe refill their information if the fields do not remember their information on the present screen and then refill the info again on the previous screen from which they came from (the original screen) and hope the system remembers their information again, and would then have their interactive flow retarded in order to not make the same mistake again. On Wed, Sep 17, 2008 at 8:34 AM, Todd Zaki Warfel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > On Sep 16, 2008, at 11:21 AM, Brett Lutchman wrote: > > Having conducted multiple studies and tests on this very process, the > 'Next' button must be on the left side while the 'Previous' button needs to > be on the right. > > > Don't you have this reversed? Next on the right, Previous on the left? > (We work primarily on transaction/application based systems. We also run > regular usability tests. The suggestions below are based on our experience. > As always, there are cases where this doesn't apply). > > Mouse-based users tend to scan to the bottom right corner with their mouse. > It's easy and predictable to target since it's a corner and since the > scrollbar is at the right, they're used to moving to this side of the > screen. > > Keyboard savvy users tend to tab through forms and use the enter key to > submit a form. > > Making the most desired action first in the list only works for keyboard > savvy users, which is the minority. Having it in the most predictable place, > at the right, works for the majority. > > To make it work for both, you put it at the bottom right and use standard > HTML to make the desired action, which is at the right, a "submit" button, > while making the less desired action something else (e.g. link, button). If > it's a "submit" button, a real HTML submit button, the form will be executed > w/the Enter key, satisfying both minority and majority audiences. > > > Cheers! > > Todd Zaki Warfel > President, Design Researcher > Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. > ---------------------------------- > *Contact Info* > Voice: (215) 825-7423Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > AIM: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Blog: http://toddwarfel.com <http://toddwarfel/> > Twitter: zakiwarfel > ---------------------------------- > In theory, theory and practice are the same. > In practice, they are not. > > -- Brett Lutchman Web Slinger. ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
