Structures of menus

Menus vary in from very simple to complex. A menu’s structure defines the amount of control given to the user in performing a task. The most common structures are the following.

Single Menus

Single menus conceptually require choices from this single menu only, and no other menus will follow necessitating additional user choices. A single menu may be iterative if it requires data to be entered into it and this data input is subjected to a validity check that fails. The menu will then be represented to the user with a message requesting re-entry of valid data.

Sequential Linear Menus

Sequential linear menus are presented on a series of screens possessing only one path. The menu screens are presented in a preset order, and, generally, their objective is for specifying parameters or for entering data. Sequential path menus have several shortcomings. A long sequence may become tedious as menu after menu is presented.

Simultaneous Menus

All alternatives are visible for reminding of choices, comparing choices and changing answers. Problems with simultaneous menus are that for large collections of menu alternatives screen clutter can easily occur, and screen paging or scrolling may still be necessary to view all the choices. Presenting many menu dependencies and relationships on a screen especially if poorly indicated can also be very confusing for a novice user.

Hierarchical Menus

When many relationships exists between menu alternatives, and some menu options are on, appropriate depending upon a previous menu selection, a hierarchical structure is the best solution. common examples f hierarchical design today are found in menu bars with their associated pull-downs, and in Web sites with their navigation links.

Connected Menus Connected menus are networks of menus all interconnected in some manner. Movement through a structure of menus is not restricted to a hierarchical tree, but is permitted between most or all menus in the network.

Event-Trapping Menus

Provide ever-present background of control over the system’s state and parameters while the user is working on a foreground task. They serve three functions:

1. Immediately change some parameter in the current environment (bold text)
2. Take user out of current environment to perform to perform function (spell-check)
3. Exit and allow user to go to new environment (exit)