2DS & mobile page - initial observations & suggestions
Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:22 pm
Some suggestions based on my first day's experience of the EYEZ-ON webpage on my PC as well as my Blackberry Torch. I have a DSC PC1616 security system, with about a dozen enabled zones, all configured in one partition. I'm using a 2DS with firmware 1.03.33, received and installed a week ago:
EYEZ-ON Mobile browser:
Overall a pretty nice job, but would it be possible to improve it? e.g. ...
I note the posting "Web Interface for mobile" by TimCDN speaks to some of the same issues I'm thinking of. If a user could use your website to personalize and declutter the messaging this would be helpful. Examples:
- Features on the webpage that aren't used, could be suppressed by the user; e.g. Locators, Environmental, Cameras.
- Systems having only 1 partition could be displayed more cleanly by removing all references to 'partition' from the pages.
- Familiarity could be improved by focusing on context;
-- letting users name zones; e.g. "1. Front Lobby" vs "Zone 1" - this could be done by user-maintained 'alias' entries on your website. When one has a lot of zones, the generic names aren't that helpful.
-- letting users define how to display status for each zone, adding context to make more sense to the user; e.g. "MOTION/NO MOTION" vs "OPEN/CLOSED" for front lobby motion detector. "OPEN/CLOSED" doesn't always make sense.
For use on handheld devices, the mobile webpage layout could be more space efficient. Examples:
- The section headers are very large and eat up a lot of valuable screenspace.
- The big 'EyezOn' logo isn't necessary, nor is the 'MOBILE' text. They both eat up a lot of screenspace. The large 'house' icon also adds clutter and eats up a lot of space.
- The 'Status' indicator could be more useful if displayed at the top of the screen. Perhaps beside the 'Home' label, and how about in a titlebar? The 'status' label isn't needed; the user will know what red & green indicate. And you can use yellow for a system that is neither 'armed' or 'disarmed-ready'.
- The [Partition] droplist selector isn't necessary for those installations having only one Partition. Could this be logically hidden from view if there is only one zone defined?
Do the [ARM AWAY] and [ARM STAY] buttons need the accompanying text "ARM without code"? In my system we only know how to set these states by pushing a single button; no code required.
- What is the purpose of the button [Send Reset (#)] ? Is it needed?
- Could you put 'expand/collapse' buttons on section headings? If so, could they be made 'sticky'? Could a titlebar be displayed that always stays visible, not scrolling with the rest of the page?
The tactile feel and intuitiveness could be improved:
- From the EyezOn mobile page, under the section 'Send Command', the control for Arm/Disarm should be labeled 'DISARM' as that is its only purpose (I think).
- Can the PIN data entry field be defaulted to numeric so users don't have to press <alt> before each character is entered? I'm using a BB Torch.
EYEZ-ON Mobile browser:
Overall a pretty nice job, but would it be possible to improve it? e.g. ...
I note the posting "Web Interface for mobile" by TimCDN speaks to some of the same issues I'm thinking of. If a user could use your website to personalize and declutter the messaging this would be helpful. Examples:
- Features on the webpage that aren't used, could be suppressed by the user; e.g. Locators, Environmental, Cameras.
- Systems having only 1 partition could be displayed more cleanly by removing all references to 'partition' from the pages.
- Familiarity could be improved by focusing on context;
-- letting users name zones; e.g. "1. Front Lobby" vs "Zone 1" - this could be done by user-maintained 'alias' entries on your website. When one has a lot of zones, the generic names aren't that helpful.
-- letting users define how to display status for each zone, adding context to make more sense to the user; e.g. "MOTION/NO MOTION" vs "OPEN/CLOSED" for front lobby motion detector. "OPEN/CLOSED" doesn't always make sense.
For use on handheld devices, the mobile webpage layout could be more space efficient. Examples:
- The section headers are very large and eat up a lot of valuable screenspace.
- The big 'EyezOn' logo isn't necessary, nor is the 'MOBILE' text. They both eat up a lot of screenspace. The large 'house' icon also adds clutter and eats up a lot of space.
- The 'Status' indicator could be more useful if displayed at the top of the screen. Perhaps beside the 'Home' label, and how about in a titlebar? The 'status' label isn't needed; the user will know what red & green indicate. And you can use yellow for a system that is neither 'armed' or 'disarmed-ready'.
- The [Partition] droplist selector isn't necessary for those installations having only one Partition. Could this be logically hidden from view if there is only one zone defined?
Do the [ARM AWAY] and [ARM STAY] buttons need the accompanying text "ARM without code"? In my system we only know how to set these states by pushing a single button; no code required.
- What is the purpose of the button [Send Reset (#)] ? Is it needed?
- Could you put 'expand/collapse' buttons on section headings? If so, could they be made 'sticky'? Could a titlebar be displayed that always stays visible, not scrolling with the rest of the page?
The tactile feel and intuitiveness could be improved:
- From the EyezOn mobile page, under the section 'Send Command', the control for Arm/Disarm should be labeled 'DISARM' as that is its only purpose (I think).
- Can the PIN data entry field be defaulted to numeric so users don't have to press <alt> before each character is entered? I'm using a BB Torch.