Graphics


Easy Cursor Positioning

Provide users an easy, accurate means of positioning a displayed cursor to point at different display elements and/or display locations.

Comment: Cursor positioning is a frequent user action during graphic data entry; an easy means for controlling cursor movement will be essential for efficient performance.

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Confirming Cursor Position

For most graphics data entry, pointing should be a dual action, first positioning a cursor at a desired position, and then confirming that position to the computer.

Exception: An exception to this recommendation would be the freehand drawing of continuous lines ("path specification"), where a computer must store and display a series of cursor positions as they are input by the user;
when the user initiates such a line-drawing sequence, a new data point might be recorded automatically whenever the cursor has been moved a certain distance (e.g., 1 mm) or when a certain time has elapsed (e.g., 0.5 s).

Comment: During graphics data entry, a cursor will almost always be somewhere on the display, but not necessarily at a location intended by the user. In effect, a user needs some way to move the cursor around and some separate action to signal the computer when its position should be recorded.

Comment: An interesting case of position confirmation is "rubberbanding", which is a technique to aid line drawing.
With rubberbanding, a user can designate the starting point for a line, then move the cursor to various possible end points while the computer continuously shows the line that would result if that end point were confirmed by the user.
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Zooming for Precise Positioning

When data entry requires exact placement of graphic elements, users should be allowed to request expansion of the critical display area ("zooming") to make the positioning task easier.
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Selecting Graphic Elements

Provide users some means for designating and selecting displayed graphic elements for manipulation.

Example: Designation might be by pointing, in the case of a discrete element, or might require some sort of outlining action to delineate portions of a complex figure.
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