Quasimode
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quasimode (also known as spring-loaded mode) is a technique of human-computer interaction. A quasimode is a modeless interaction that allows for the benefits of a mode without the cognitive burden. The application enters into that mode as long as the user is performing a conscious action, like pressing a key and keeping it pressed while invoking a command. If the sustaining action is stopped without executing a command, the application returns to a neutral status.
The term "quasimode" was coined by Jef Raskin in his book The Humane Interface as a composite of the latin prefix quasi (which means almost, to some degree) and the English word "mode".
The benefit of this technique is that the user doesn't have to remember the current state of the application when invoking a command. The same action will always produce the same perceived result.
A well-known example of a quasimode is the use of the Shift key to capitalise the typed letters while it's pressed; this is in contrast to the persistent mode activated by the Caps Lock key.
Modifier keys also usually start a quasimode.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Buxton, W. A. (1995). "Chunking and phrasing and the design of human-computer dialogues" in Human-Computer interaction: Toward the Year 2000, R. M. Baecker, J. Grudin, W. A. Buxton, and S. Greenberg, Eds. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, CA, 494-499.
[edit] External link
- Jakob Nielsen on Spring-loaded modes
