Method for developing and implementing efficient workflow oriented user interfaces and controls

Abstract

A method for developing user interfaces to support efficient workflow implementation in an organization or in daily tasks of a typical consumer is disclosed. The method accounts for limitations in ability of a typical user of such interfaces to deal with more than about six elements of information or choices at any given step of a workflow. The method may include use of customized tools and other components developed to support implementation of user interfaces and data structures needed to implement user interfaces and associated data exchanges between client devices and applications on servers. The user interfaces, methods, tools, and other components may also be used to support user interfaces used to control software applications, information appliances, and other devices.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top-level block diagram of a representative enterprise information architecture showing an application of the instant invention in developing user interfaces for devices that exchange information with application servers.

FIG. 2 is another block diagram of an information architecture emphasizing various communications media that may be used with the instant invention.

FIG. 2 a is a block diagram showing more detail in an example embodiment that uses a particular communications path.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram that shows various combinations of devices, user input techniques, and operating systems that may be used with embodiments of the instant invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing how the instant invention may be used to configure interfaces between a user device and applications on a server.

FIG. 4 a is a block diagram showing how features of the instant invention interact to provide a user interface between a client device and a data source.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the key components in a data exchange between a Zenu client and a database.

FIG. 6 is an block diagram showing an example of how a Zenu client may interact with a server to retrieve information about a personal contact.

FIGS. 7 a and 7b are illustrations of a candidate circular user input device that may be used in some embodiments of the instant invention to help enable operation with a thumb or a single finger.

FIG. 8 is a screen shot of a display of available application on a Pocket PC device.

FIG. 9 is a screen shot of another display of applications showing how a Zenu icon may be displayed.

FIG. 10 is a screen shot showing an opening screen for a Zenu user interface client software embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a screen shot showing a home page of a Zenu interface.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of a Zenu screen showing the command arrows and Z-button portions of a Zenu display.

FIG. 13 is a screen show showing a representative keyboard that may be displayed and used for data entry with a Zenu user interface implementation.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a portion of a Zenu screen showing an ‘abc’ button that may be used to toggle the keyboard display of FIG. 13 to enter upper case or lower case letters.

FIG. 15 is a view of the keyboard of FIG. 13 toggled for entry of upper case letters.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of a portion of a Zenu display showing a key that may be used to toggle a portion of the keyboard of FIG. 13 for entry of symbols.

FIG. 17 is another view of a keyboard of FIG. 13 showing additional keys that are available in symbol mode for entering frequently used information.

FIG. 18 is another enlarged view of a portion of a Zenu screen showing additional keys that have special functions.

FIG. 19 is a screen shot of a Zenu display showing a data entry field.

FIG. 20 is a screen shot of a portion of a Zenu display showing the right arrow key used to enter information and move to the next step in a work flow.

FIG. 21 is a screen shot showing example choices that may be presented at a step in a workflow.

FIG. 22 is a screen shot showing how a picture or other illustration may be presented within a Zenu interface.

FIG. 23 is a screen shot showing how a Zenu interface may be used to display a map.

FIG. 24 is a screen shot showing the “breadcrump” feature of Zenu displays that help a user keep track of where he is in a workflow.

FIG. 25 is a text chart showing steps in the methodology of implementing a Zenu user interface for a work flow.

FIG. 26 is an illustration showing an example of storyboard that may be used in defining information and displays needed at various steps in a workflow.

FIGS. 27 through 29 illustrate use of the storyboard forms of FIG. 26 in various stages of developing a Zenu user interface application.

FIG. 30 is an illustration of basic screen templates used within ZTool to aid in developing and implementing user interface screens.

FIG. 31 is an expanded view of a portion of a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing selection buttons and other command and navigation features.

FIG. 32 is an expanded view of some of the command buttons shown in FIG. 31.

FIG. 33 is a screen show of a screen of a ZTool application that may be used on a personal computer or other workstation to support implementation of Zenu interfaces within an enterprise.

FIG. 34 is a table showing tags that may be used in embodiments of Zenu Markup Language to support implementation of Zenu user interfaces.

FIG. 35 is a screen shot showing how ZTool may be used to connect buttons with desired functionality.

FIG. 36 is a screen shot showing a partial listing of ZML generated by ZTool for a particular screen implementation.

FIG. 37 is another example listing of ZML used to communicated information between a Zenu client device and an application on a server.

FIG. 38 is a view of a ZTool screen used for design of a Zenu screen.

FIG. 39 is a screen shot of a ZTool screen showing an example of a Zenu screen being developed.

FIG. 40 is screen shot of a ZTool screen showing how various project files may be accessed through ZTool.

FIG. 41 is a screen shot of a ZTool screen showing various file and data management features.

FIG. 42 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how files may be viewed within a project.

FIG. 43 is view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how a new page may be added.

FIG. 44 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how command files or asp scripts may be linked with various buttons or other controls on a Zenu screen.

FIG. 45 is a screen shot of a ZTool screen showing how properties of screen controls or other objects may be displayed.

FIG. 46 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how other properties or objects may be displayed.

FIG. 47 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how object properties may be entered in a ZML data exchange to control Zenu display characteristics.

FIG. 48 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how hidden objects may be displayed.

FIG. 49 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen shot showing how Members may be added to a collection of objects.

FIG. 50 is a view of a portion of a ZTool screen showing how the size of a pane may be adjusted.

FIG. 51 is a screen shot of a representative Zenu home page.

FIG. 52 is a screen show showing a Zenu screen that may be used to access contact information.

FIG. 53 is a screen shot showing data fields that may be used to enter information for a contact.

FIG. 54 is a view of how the screen of FIG. 53 appears when filled in before the right arrow key is pressed.

FIG. 55 is a screen shot of a screen that may be displayed after contact information has been accepted by a server.

FIG. 56 is a screen shot of a screen that may be display after the continue button is pressed in the screen shown in FIG. 55.

FIG. 57 is an illustration of elements of an information architecture that may be used with and by aspects of the instant invention.

FIGS. 58 a and 58b are views of an information architecture showing how ZML may be used to exchange information between a Zenu user interface and other elements of the architecture.

FIG. 59 is a screen show showing an example of a Zenu application login screen after it has been filled in by a user.

FIG. 60 is a screen shot of a Zenu home page that may be presented after login credentials have been verified by a server.

FIG. 61 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen that may be displayed in an example application.

FIG. 62 is a screen show of a Zenu screen requesting data for an example workflow.

FIG. 63 is a screen show of an example of the completed data entry screen of FIG. 62 before the right arrow button is pressed.

FIG. 64 is a screen show of an example Zenu screen that may be used to present retrieved information to a user where the user may edit the information.

FIG. 65 is a screen shot of a Zenu example application showing how additional information may be presented on a subsequent screen after the continued button is pressed on the screen of FIG. 64.

FIG. 66 is a screen shot of a Zenu example application showing choices that may be presented at a particular portion in a workflow.

FIG. 67 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen that may be displayed in response to a user pressing button 1 in the screen shown in FIG. 66.

FIG. 68 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing how responses to inspection questions may be presented to a user for selection and entry.

FIG. 69 is a screen shot of another Zenu screen that may be presented in an example application.

FIG. 70 is a screen shot of another Zenu screen showing a summary of data entered by a user in previous screens.

FIG. 71 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing how control may be returned to a previous screen after a subtask flow of a work flow is completed.

FIG. 72 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing how additional data may be presented in a work flow.

FIG. 73 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing again how choices may be presented for selection by a user in an example workflow.

FIG. 74 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing a subsequent question that may be presented to a user in an example workflow.

FIG. 75 is a screen shot of another Zenu screen displaying another question that may be presented to a user in a particular workflow.

FIGS. 76 and 77 are Zenu screen shots of additional screens showing other questions that may be presented to a user in a particular workflow.

FIG. 78 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing a summary of data entered that may be presented to a user for confirmation.

FIGS. 79 and 80 are screen shots of additional Zenu screens that may be presented to a user for confirmation of additional inspection items in an example application.

FIG. 81 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing a summary of data entered in previous screens presented to a user for confirmation.

FIG. 82 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing how control may be returned to a higher level or home page after a subtask or selected workflow is completed.

FIG. 83 is an illustration showing how domain knowledge and breadth of knowledge may vary based upon educational level of a user.

FIG. 84 is an illustration showing how a Zenu information display protocol and ZenuStack may be used to present multiple levels of information to a user.

FIG. 85 is another illustration of storyboard forms that may be used to help implement a methodology for developing Zenu user interface applications.

FIG. 86 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing how an airline check-in workflow choice may be presented to a user.

FIG. 87 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen requesting confirmation and name data from a user.

FIG. 88 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing how flight information may be retrieved and presented to a user in an example application.

FIG. 89 is a screen shot of a Zenu screen showing a confirmation of completion of check-in by a user.

FIG. 90 is a flowchart providing another illustration of a methodology that may be used in developing ZTool user interfaces for various applications and workflows in an enterprise or other organization.

FIGS. 91 through 105 are graphs showing bar plots indicating how a group of users compared Zenu and a conventional user interface implemented on PCs and on handheld PDAs, based on various comparison metrics shown at the top of each graph, with Zenu rankings shown in the left bar of each pair of bars.

Claims

1. A method for developing a user interface for exchanging data between a client device and an application hosted on a server comprising: selecting a workflow for which a user interface is needed,identifying information that must be exchanged between a user and an application on a server to perform said selected workflow,defining steps to exchange said information for said workflow such that no more than about six elements of information, including choices, are presented to a user of said client device in any step,defining screens for a client device to be used in exchanging information with said user, andexchanging information between said client device and said application using tags to demark selected element of information.