User Experience for a Better World
Save, Save and Close, Save and New icons
Okay I would like some feedback from people that know more about the subject of usability than my bosses. : )
The issue is about some icons used on our tool bar.
Save - Just a diskette
Save and Close - Diskette and the red circle with white X offset on it.
Save and New - Diskette and a green plus.
The Save and Close is causing some stir in our office and my bosses are telling me that red means delete. I showed them a handful of other applications that have a white X over red background, square or circle. All of which do not delete, they stop or cancel. I said if it were a red X with transparent background, than yes it would be delete. The bosses want it to be a diskette with the blue back arrow meaning save and take me back. I disagree. I am saying we stick with consistency of other applications.
What's your opinion on the subject?
I attached the icon.
Views: 152
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a_saveclose_32x32.png, 2 KB
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Susan Chopra on -
A couple of thoughts. First, can you get some quick and dirty feedback? Show some folks a screenshot of the app with the icons and ask what they think that one does.
I do think you need to be careful with the use of a red 'x'. There are a lot of apps that use a red 'x' to represent remove or delete (e.g. deleting a row from a table). Red (at least in the US) is commonly used to represent warning or danger. As an interesting experiment, you could also ask folks what a red 'x' means to them. I can see where stop and cancel might use a red 'x', as stopping or canceling something might deserve some notion of warning. But, I don't see 'Close' - especially following a save - as something the user needs to be "warned" about.
Looks like Office 2007 uses the blue arrow for close (folder icon with a blue arrow). Another thought might be to make the 'x' look more like what you see in the upper right corner of a window.
Regards -
Susan
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Permalink Reply by Shandon Bissell on -
well it isn't a red 'x', it's a red circle with white 'x'. I looked at the Office 2007 that you refered to and it is just close as in the oposite of open, showing the folder. That's kinda weird too since when I'm in a Word document and I close it, it doesn't close a folder, but I get their use of it.
anyway, the close we are using is almost exactly like the close 'x' in the top right of a window except a circle.
It's attached above.
I have tested it on several people and only a couple people hesitated before using it, but quickly understood after.
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Permalink Reply by Rajat Bhardwaj on -
If this would be an application, first time user can be trained about this and they will get use to once they understand the purpose of the icon.
Secondly, if you use tooltip with the icons, it would be more intuitive for first time users.
I would still prefer to use a full text saying Save and Close for users that say "Dont make me think" as it appears on MS Outlook 2007 when we add new contact. You can use these options in drop down too on a toolbar.
As suggested by Susan, Red is generally associated with remove or delete, so using something else would be better.
I Hope this helps.
Rajat
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Permalink Reply by Chris D'Arcy Bean on -
Hi,
need some more detail on this, when the user selects "save and close", are they saving the file and closing the application, or saving the file and closing the file, but keeping the application open in one action?
do you have a "close without saving" option, and is there an icon for it to help visually express the difference between the two?
when the user uses the "save and new", does it keep the file open and add a new file side by side?
It still seems a shame that the floppy disk is reffered to, I don't know what icon they used before it... look at the next generation of users, they will have no actual familiarity with the floppy disc, especially if it's a web application.
Hope you solve the issue, I agree with Rajat, people will learn it, if there is enough supporting information to educate them.
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Permalink Reply by Nancy Carl on
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I kind of think your bosses might be partially correct. In general, if there is confusion or a kerfuffle about an icon, even if it is management, I tend to rethink the direction because that means end users might be going there too. I don't know what kind of app you are designing but one of the things we learned about at HFI was that it's best to pair icons with words or at least a rollover - then confusion is eliminated. I say add a rollover that says "Save and Close" - the words make it clear just in case the icon does not. I think the red x looks kind of like it means "don't save". I also agree a quick and dirty test with some strangers if possible (then it can't be argued about the people in the office you asked or anything like that).
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Permalink Reply by Julia Debari on
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Personally to me it looks like a Save and Delete icon. Any sort of red in an icon indicates a serious interaction. If you have new users they definitely need to learn the icon's meaning. In this case, as others have said, HFI recommends using text with an icon.
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Permalink Reply by Abraham VA on -
I think we should use icons only if there is space constrains. Save, Save and Close, Save and New etc. are actions. So my opinion is to use action buttons. "Save and Close", and "Save and New" are very ambiguous. Instead of "Save and New" use "Save and Add New".
Regards,
Abraham
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