Adopt standard UI controls and use them consistently
We recommend the use of several standard user interface elements and techniques. This will not only make objects more recognizable by users, it will allow developers to build RealThings from standardized toolkits. Some of the elements we recommend you standardize are:
We have identified standard classes of control elements for activators and selectors.
Activators
simply cause an action to happen and have no persistent state.
They are typically presented as buttons, such as the speed-dial
buttons shown on the Realphone to the right.
Selectors allow the user to pick one
or more choices from a set of choices. They are typically
presented as switches, dials, sliders, and lists. The RealPhone
uses a 1-of-2 selector in the form of a rocker switch to switch
between base and full-function views.
These controls should look real and natural, and not be the standard controls provided by current GUI toolkits.
By using a model-view-presentation paradigm in the implementation of these controls the developer can create an appearance that is most appropriate for the real thing being created without having to modify the program's logic, which is encapsulated in the model. Even more interesting, the developer might make several visual styles available for users to choose from.