All About

Graphical Systems
Objects and actions constitute
a graphical system.
 Properties of objects:
• Objects can be visualized, heard, felt and easily
understandable by the users for accomplishing their
task.
• Each object interact with other entities
independently from other objects interactions.
• Objects can be operated by means of actions which
include accessing and altering objects.
• Objects have standardized and distinguishable
behaviour.
 Popularity of Graphics:
• The design and the user interface are changed
fundamentally with the invasion of graphics.
• The older text-based screens having one-
dimensional look, text oriented, form-like quality
were replaced by a three-dimensional appearance
graphical screen.
• In the graphical screens, content appeared in
windows, small rectangular boxes rised above the
background.
• There is movement of windows above other
windows
 Features in a Graphical system are:
• Controls move when activated and seemed to rise
above the screen.
• Lines are engraved on the screen. The content can
be made available or invisible as required.
• Icons, which are graphical images denoting objects
are used in place of text.
• Menu bars and pull-downs helped in navigation
through screens and execution of commands.
• Menus “pop-up” on screen.
• The screen body consists of radio buttons, check
boxes, list boxes and palettes for selection purpose.
• Pointing devices like mouse, joy stick were used to
choose objects and screen actions.
These features have increased the graphics
popularity.
The Graphical interface is also known as WIMP
interface: Windows, Icons, Menus and pointers.
Radio buttons
set of mutually exclusive choices
Check boxes
set of non-exclusive choices
Palettes
little windows of actions shown/hidden via menu
option
e.g. available shapes in drawing package
Dialogue box
dialogue box is displayed to allow the user to
specify the filename and location. Once the file is
saved, the box disappears.
 The
Concept of
Direct Manipulation
The Direct Manipulation:
Direct manipulation refers to the style of
communication for graphical systems.

It has following features:

1. The system is illustrated as an extension of the real
world.
The system customizes the objects and actions which are
known by the user to display them on a different medium
(screen).
Accessing and altering of objects is in the hand of an
individual.
The application and tools are not important, rather a
known environment a known way to use and data.
The structure of the system is not known and hidden
to the users which does not divert the user.
2. Continuous view of objects and actions
Objects are always visible on screen.
The Prompts(moves) of actions to be accomplished
are clear to the users.
The difficult syntax and command names are
changed into easier labelled buttons.
The system is transparent to the users.
3. Fast increasing actions

direct manipulation shows the progress of steps

producing visual results
The results of actions are not
planned, they are instantly shown on
the screen in their new and present
form.
The result of an action is quickly
available.

4. Reverse of incremental actions

The incorrect or undesired actions
can be simply undone.
 Advantages
• Visually presents task concepts.

• Easy to learn.
• Errors can be avoided more easily.

• Encourages exploration.

• High subjective satisfaction.

• Recognition memory
 Disadvantages
• May be more difficult to programme.

• Not suitable for small graphic displays.

• Spatial and visual representation is not always
preferable.
• Compact notations may better suit expert users.
Example of Direct Manipulation
Video games are a prime example.
With only a small amount of training, users pick up
controllers with buttons and knobs that generally
map very well to the way the character is moving in
physical space.
 Indirect Manipulation:
• It places words and text like pull-down or pop-up
menus instead of symbols or icons.
• Pointing is replaced by typing.
Direct and Indirect Manipulation together are used
in windows systems.
Example:
By pointing at a menu icon a menu may be accessed
and then choosing it. This is direct manipulation.
Where the menu is a textual list of operations which
is a indirect manipulation.
Graphical Systems
Advantages
&
Disadvantages
Advantages:
1. Quick identification of symbols in comparison
to text.
It has been analyzed that symbols can be identified
quickly and correctly than text.
2. Rapid Learning.
It is analyzed that with the presence of graphical
symbol content we can learn the symbols easily and
hence increases the speed of learning.
3. Quick usage and solution to problem
Visible presentation of content can be easily
remembered and altered which causes quick and
successful solutions to the problems.
Simple instructions are easily evaluated from the
symbols.
4. Simplicity in memorizing
The simplicity of graphical systems has made them
easier for users to memorize operational methods.
5. More Natural
Graphical objects are considered to be more
natural.
They appear near to inherit human capabilities.
Human beings can grasp symbols easily by natural
possessions through the powerful image memory in
mind.
6.Utilize visual or spatial prompts
The verbal content is more complex to understand
and takes time in comparison to visual
representations, which are simple and easy to use.
7. Provides context:
Graphical system provides context where displayed
objects is a picture related to the context.

8. Less Errors:
Errors occur less frequently as the possibility of
errors reduce with real and solid thinking.
since the actions are reversible, it minimizes the
occurrence of errors as we can undo the last step.
9.Feedback from actions is instant:
The feedback from actions within the system are
instant progressing us towards the goal.

10. Greater control:

Greater feeling of control is seen in users while
starting actions.

11. Predictable reply:

The graphical system responses are predictable
which enhances learning.
12.Actions are Easily Reversible:
The unwanted actions are easy to reverse as the user
has great control which also increases user
confidence and speeds up system working.

13. Reduces Anxiety:

Graphical systems develop less anxiety in new users
as it is simple to understand and control.
the reply can be anticipated and actions can be
reversed.
14. More Appealing:
Graphical systems are more interesting. This is
important for cautious users.
15. Less Space:
The representation using icons conserves less space
on contrast to words.
16. Simple Augmenting:
The system can easily be augmented with text
displays
17. Minimization of typing:
Less keyboard need with the pointing and selection
controls like mouse, trackball etc. we can remove
typing need.
18. Simplicity of transition:
Simple movement from command language system
to a direct manipulation system.
Disadvantages:
1. Need for learning:
The new users of the graphical systems are initially
unaware of what has to be done. They do not have
knowledge about the meanings of icons and words.
2. Insufficient designing rules:
The graphical system does not have sufficiently
contactable experimentally derived design guide
lines.
The developers were involved with technical issues
but not usability issues. Hence because of this, few
usability issues pertaining to design are available
today.
The other reasons for shortage of guidelines are:
i. The builders of interfaces want to keep the design
of their product secret to give a competition in the
market.
ii. The content is related with specific activity which
can not be applied to all.
iii. It requires the time to publish the details.
iv. The complexity in the system.
3. Variations in Technique and Terminology
The graphical system developers incorporate several
variable methods, terms, appearance and texture in
consecutive versions of the same system.
4. Unfamiliar Context
Words and numbers can be easily recognized in
contrast to symbols.
5. Restrictions in human understanding
The increase in the production of various icons
causes greater difficulty in human for
understanding.
6. Requirements for operating window
The graphical systems needs excessive and
repetitive manipulating and managing of windows
which eventually wastes time. There may be even
interruption in carrying activities.
7.Limitations in production
The present technology generates less no of
symbols. Today producing a set of identifiable
symbols with the help of various technologies have
become very hard.
8. Availability of less tested icons
Various sizes, weights and styles of icons must exist.
The symbols must be made of clearly identifiable
font.
The symbol line width, open spaces and
identifications gets affected by altering the size of
an icon.
9. Inefficient for touch typists
In case of experienced touch typist, the keyboard is
very fast and powerful device and therefore
handling a mouse or various pointing devices may
slowdown his work.
10. Difficulties faced by expert users
When there are many objects and actions to be
adjusted on the screen even expert may find
difficulties in dealing.
11. Style of interaction is not always fast and
selective
The users not always choose to work on a complete
iconic interface, they want alternative with textual
headings.
The textual instructions are superior than the
graphical instructions on the bank ATM.
12. More possibility of clutter and confusion
Graphical system increased the chance for clutter
instead of its elimination there by increasing the
possibility of confusion more.
13. The Futz and Fiddle feature
The rapid growing of computer games is making the
computer usage waste of time. However ,futzing
and fiddling is a way of learning how to use a
mouse. It is of a value when utilized correctly and
helps the users to explore the system and learn its
capabilities.
14. Takes more screen space
A card file takes more time to scan than a text
format list of names and telephone numbers.

15. Limitations in hardware

Shortage in hardware properties like inadequate
power, processing speed, screen resolution and
graphic capability results in decreasing the
designing and potential of the graphical system.
 Characteristics
of
Graphical User Interface
Characteristics
1. Advanced Visual Presentation.
2. Interaction using Pick and Click.
3. Limited Interface options.
4.Visualization.
5.Behaviour of objects.
6.Extensive use of a person’s recognition memory.
7. Concurrent performance of functions.
1. Advanced Visual Presentation
The visual presentation gives an idea about the
content to be seen on the interface by the users.
The graphical system is advanced by adding the
following features:
i. Possibility of displaying
more than 16 million colors.

ii. Animation and the representation of photographs

and motion videos.
 2. Interaction using Pick and Click
• ‘Pick’ defines the motor activity of a user to pick
out an element of a graphical screen upon which an
action is to be taken.
• ‘Click’ represents the signal to carry out an action.
• The Pick-and-Click technique is carried out with
the help of the mouse and its buttons.
• The mouse pointer is taken to a specific element
which accounts for PICK, by the user and the action
is signaled that causes a CLICK.
 3. Limited Interface options
• The user has restricted group of choices from the
screen content or limited information obtained as a
result of this screen content.
• WYSIWYG is an acronym which expands as
“ what you see is what you get”.
• This word describes the united context on screen.
Nothing less or nothing more is available other than
the screen content.
 4.Visualization
• The system functions are depicted by modifying
representation of entities.
• Visualization is enhanced by displaying specialized
graphical images.
• The aim is not compulsorily to generate a real
graphical image but to give an image that expresses
the most useful information.
• Therefore, we can increase production, work with
rapid and exact data, grow knowledge with the help
of proper visualizations.
 5.Behaviour of objects
• Objects are visible elements on the screen
viewed by the users.
• The focus of users must be kept on objects rather
than actions in case of a well-designed system.
• Objects are made up of sub-objects.
For example:
• Document is an object whereas paragraph, sentence,
word and letter are its sub-objects.
The objects are divided into three classes by IBM
1. Data objects
2. Container Objects
3. Device Objects

1.Data objects:
These objects present information i.e. text or
graphics that appears in the body of the screen.
It’s a screen based control.
 2. Container Objects
These objects hold other objects.
Two or more related objects are grouped by
container objects for simple accesses and retrieval.

Types of Container objects:

• i) Work Place
• ii) Folders
• iii) Work Areas
i) Work Place
Desktop is the workplace. All objects are stored on
desktop.
ii) Folders
These kind of container objects provide storage of
objects for longer time.
iii) Work Areas
Multiple objects presently being operated are stored
in temporary storage folders.
 3. Device Objects
• Printers or trash baskets denote physical objects in
the real world.
• Device objects consist of other objects for acting
upon.
Example:
• A file contents are printed by placing it in a printer.
Object Attributes
Objects attributes are special features which
explains about an object and can be altered by users.
Examples:
1. Text styles may be normal or italics.
2. Font sizes may be 10 or 12 points.
3. Window background colours like black and blue
Actions
users perform operations called actions on objects.
The objects are manipulated by using two kinds of
actions.
1. Commands
Commands can be carried in several forms like
direct manipulation or through a command button.
Selected commands are immediately executed.
Examples
i) Opening a Command
ii) Printing a document.
iii) Closing a window
2. Property/ Attribute Specification
The features of objects are developed and altered by
these actions. On selection they continue to stay in
effect till they are deselected.
Examples:
i) Choice of Cascading window.
ii) A specific font style.
iii) A specific color.
Steps for carrying property specification action
are:
i) Selection of object
Examples:
i) Word
ii) Text
iii) Selection of action to be carried on object
Example:
BOLD
the text or word stays in bold font till they are
selected and changed again.
6.Extensive use of a person’s recognition
memory.
The graphical systems facilitates continuous
visibility of objects and actions which enhances a
user’s more powerful identification memory.

7. Concurrent performance of functions

Multiple things or programs can be carried out at
one time by the graphical systems
Thank You