(Narendra_Kumar.S.S, ssnkumar at gmail.com" wrote: > As for the single scrollable page, given the number of questions we > have, the single page will become very long! So, having a single window > with tabs can be used to avoid this. And we can have labels to each tab, > which can be viewed from the main tab itself. > Also, there can be a separate bar, showing how much is completed and how > much is remaining. >
From a usability perspective, tabs are usually not appropriate for a task where input is required on anything other than the top tab, because it leaves the user hunting for what they must do, rather than being led to it. For similar reasons, using an interface which requires scrolling to find input fields is not a good idea, because again, the options are not seen. I'm not the usability professional here, Frank is, but the research on this is pretty well-established. Ultimately, this part of the discussion is trying to solve the wrong problem up front: note your assumption, "given the number of questions we have". The primary problem in the graphical install is the amount and complexity of input required to achieve a working install; reducing that will change the set of problems that the UI design needs to solve and probably send this discussion into very different (and far more interesting) territory. Mike's mail, and Frank's response, are pretty reflective of the kind of basic understanding of the tasks and users that we have to arrive at in order to generate a design that will stand up in the market vs. the competition. Dave
