Back button on each device

NOTE: This was written in Aug. 2011.

The Problem With Home

It was very interesting subject that I have been thinking about the back button with Android mobile and Tablet.

I totally agree having 2 levels of home button controls, however, there are apps that don’t define as app-level home screen.

For example, there are 4 main navigation buttons Let’s say A, B, C and D) on top of the screen. When you tap BACK button form this each level is going back to Phone-Level home.
Even you kept tapping them: first A, next C, then B, and then D.
Finally you tap BACK button. That brings to the Phone-level home instead of back to screen B. So in your method, these 4 main screens are all app-level home.

Another app uses the BACK button totally historical data of the application. It works the same as a web browser back button. I think this also totally acceptable as people are familiar and expect how it works.

Now I have to work on Tablet back button…

Thoughts on Android OS back button

Thursday, 22 December 2011
Back Button – Android’s Achilles’ Heel?
http://bit.ly/sT9WIS

I agree with the suggestion in the article. The app branding logo takes always user to the App top hierarchy(landing) screen. So we don’t need the indicator arrow on top left with the logo. I thought the arrow will take me to the previous page like we see in computer browsers even the function is doubled up with the physical back button. It is already in the guide lines but I think this indicator arrow is redundant.
The physical back button/on screen back button should work with;
– 1 Go back to previous screen (activity)
– 4 Close on-screen keyboard
– 5 Go to previous page on browser
– 7 Return to previous app when on the last activity and the app was launched through intent from another app

– 2 Dismiss a popup
This should put cancel button on the screen.

– 3 Terminate a long running process
If it’s running in modal, need a cancel button. If user has a choice to do another activity on the same screen (e.g foursquare: while the app is loading the check in list, you can search), back button takes user to the previous page.

– 6 Exit the running app when on the last activity
I agree with Juhani’s thought in the article. The button should be disabled.

Tags | Android OS

How our brain works

I have been reading a few books about how our brain works. There are interesting stories and research results about how we act. Endocrine action triggers neurons to tell how we take action/reaction in response to stimulus from outside situation.

These stories are like things we have all experienced, from everyday things with coffee shop loyalty cards (illusion of progress) to why we sometimes regret spending time on Facebook and Youtube. They are all our part of our natural behavior, there is nothing wrong with it. Media has been set up well, to work against our reactions. This is true for internet advertising through to TV commercials.

I have been really enjoying reading these books, hoping that they will help as my design usability decision making references. I say as references, because we can know how we can react in particular situation whatever the test objects are in, but we won’t know these people’s history which may affect the action they take.

I recommend these books to know how our basic behavior in everyday life works. You may find answers for your design project.

Here are a couple of books I have read recently;
100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People
by Susan Weinschenk

Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing

by Roger Dooley

Tags | brain, human, Psychology