Focus navigation in mobile profile

Hi all list members,

I just went through the WICD Mobile 1.0 specification  
(http://www.w3.org/TR/2006/WD-WICDMobile-20061122/) and I noticed  
something strange in the focus navigation model (3.8).

You have defined that some devices MUST implement the focus  
navigation, but the referred focus navigation section is completely  
INFORMATIVE. How can you demand that informative parts of the spec  
MUST be implemented??

"Conformant WICD Mobile 1.0 user agents, for devices that have a multi  
directional (2D) joystick input device, must implement a Two  
Dimensional Focus Navigation with Flattened Children. For guidance see  
Navigation Models in WICD Core 1.0."

The referred Navigation Models section: 6.3 Focus Navigation Models  
(This section is informative).

I'm also puzzled about the navigation to children, it seems you have  
an unnecessary extra step there. The section 3.8 says:

"Conformant WICD Mobile 1.0 user agents, should allow activation of  
hierarchical child elements, using the "Ok" key." - why?? From  
usability point of view, it would be easier if the focus simply enters  
the focusable elements in the child. Why the user has to press 'ok'  
button?? To me, this seems unnecessary. Can't the focus simply enter  
the focusable elements of the children?

"Conformant WICD Mobile 1.0 user agents, implemented on devices, that  
have at least two soft keys and no dedicated escape key, should allow  
deactivation of hierarchical child elements, using longpress Soft2."

Again, why the user cannot simply step out of the child using the arrows?
And how can you say that it is always soft key 2? On my mobile phone,  
the back button is on the left side and the menu button on the right  
side. Are you insisting that the right soft key must always behave as  
you want, even though it is against the phone UI guidelines??

Also, I don't think many users will find such hidden long press  
features in their phones.

To me, it looks like you have forgotten to mark the section 3.8 as  
INFORMATIVE, I cannot see any other purpose for that section.

Best Regards,
Kari

Received on Wednesday, 29 November 2006 02:12:56 UTC