User Interface Design Guidelines for a Hypertext Framework

This section describes the user interface guidelines applied to the hypertext framework proposed by Rao and Turoff. The classification of nodes and links into various types makes it easier to design an appropriate user interface for a hypertext system.

• Identify the metaphor
  
• Identify all objects that constitute the system
  
• Identify all actions that can be performed on the objects
  
• Identify all modifiers that select subsets of objects
  
• Identify all strategic choices
  
• Identify lateral classifications
  
• Identify the formats of objects and parts of objects
  
• Identify lists of objects
  
• Identify reactive choices that can be performed on a list or a set of objects
  
• Identify shared processes
  
• Identify all user interaction states
  
• Identify necessary help
  
• Identify all error conditions
  
• Identify the screen layout