scope:

Objective and scope

The guideline VDI/VDE 3850 is applicable to the use of interaction devices for electronically controlled machinery3) in industrial applications. Graphical user interfaces allowing direct manipulation of objects are one characteristic of modern machine controls. "Direct manipulation" means the capability of pointing to an object on the screen, thereby manipulating the object or executing a function relating to it. In addition to conventional interaction devices such as keys, this requires pointing interaction devices.

"Interaction devices" is the generic term used for devices that allow the transfer of information from the user to the computer and from the computer to the user. The form of information transfer influences the design of the user interface as well as the technologies used. This guideline deals with interaction devices for manual operation. These are: mouse, trackball, joystick, mouse button, mouse pad, mouse stick, digitizing tablet, touch screen, and keys.

This Part 2 of VDI/VDE 3850 aims at providing criteria and recommendations for the selection of pointing and non-pointing interaction devices for stationary use. The design recommendations given in this guideline refer to the integration of interaction devices in machines. This aims at assisting the developers and users of graphical user interfaces in their search for a suitable interaction device and in the integration-friendly design of machines and their controls. The corresponding design of dialogs is the subject of a different part of this guideline.