Common Ordering Schemes

Here’s a list of common ordering schemes:

Alphabetical
Task order
Frequency
Numerical (font size)
De facto standard
Legal order
Complexity (simple to hard)
Semantic similarity
First-in, first out

I just found this list in an IXDA post by Chauncey Wilson’s which cites Deborah Mayhew’s book “Principles and Guidelines in Software User Interface Design“.

Tufte’s Characteristics of Graphical Excellence

From “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information”, Edward R. Tufte, 2001:

Graphical displays should:

• Show the data
• Induce the viewer to think about the substance rather than about the methodology of graphic production
• Avoid distorting what the data says
• Present many numbers in a small space
• Make large data sets coherently
• Encourage inferential processes, such as comparing different pieces of data
• Give different perspectives on the data -from broad overview to the fine structure
• Serve reasonably clear purpose: description, exploration, tabulation, or decoration
• Be closely integrated with the statistical and verbal descriptions of a data set

See For Yourself Why Labels Are Important

Read this paragraph:

A newspaper is better than a magazine. A seashore is a better place than the street. At first it is better to run than to walk. You may have to try several times. It takes some skill but it is easy to learn. Even young children can enjoy it. Once successful, complications are minimal. Birds seldom get too close. Rain, however, soaks in very fast. Too many people doing the same thing can also cause problems. One needs lots of room. If there are no complications it can be very peaceful. A rock will serve as an anchor. If things break loose from it, however, you will not get a second chance.

Do you know what this is about?  Does it make sense? Did you like reading it?

Now consider how you would react if you read it again and it was labeled Kite Flying Tips. This exercise demonstrates that is much easier to understand information when it is labeled and you know what it is about.

Consider Syntax When Designing Labels

Designing consistent labels will take you a long way in creating a consistent user experience. There’s more to consistent labels than visual presentation factors like fonts, colors and white space. Syntax is a key issue to consider. Here’s a list of some types of label syntax from Morville & Rosenfeld’s awesome book, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web:

1. Verb-based labels – “grooming your dog”

2. Noun-based labels – “diets for dogs”

3. Question-based labels – “how do you paper-train your dog”

Morville and Rosenfeld recommend choosing a single syntactical approach and sticking with it.

In addition to using consistent syntax, consider these areas when creating consistent lables: Style, Presentation, Syntax, Granularity, Comprehensiveness and audience.