Designers favour the dropdown box as uses very little screen estate.
But dropdown boxes are
cumbersome and time consuming for users
(useit.com/alertbox...).
Users have no immediate overview of the possible options and need to go through a lot of steps to make a selection.
GOMS times from Jef Raskin's book:
The Humane Interface hoofdstuk 4.2.1 Interface Timings
Change from keyboard to mouse
0.40 sec
Mental preparation
1.35 sec
Move the mouse pointer to the dropdown button
1.10 sec
Click to open the menu
0.20 sec
Point at the desired choice
1.10 sec
Click to select
0.20 sec
Total
4.35 sec
Users are much slower when using a mouse than most
designers seem to realise.
Most designers will find it hard to believe that the total time really is 4.35 seconds.
But prove it to yourself.
Get a stopwatch and select
List in the dropdown box above.
A list box takes up more screen real estate than a dropdown box.
But in exchange it offers a big advantage:
The list box always shows a number of options.
Scrolling is easier as the scrollbar is always available.
The disadvantage is that is unclear whether the list offers single or multiple selections.
Did you notice that the list on the right offers
multiple selection?
Dropdown
List
Radio buttons
Hyperlinks
Buttons
Entry field
Improved radio buttons
A list of radio buttons displays
all
possibilities at once.
Unfortunately that has a disadvantage: radio buttons consume quite a bit of screen real estate.
However, the buttons themselves are rather small.
Fitts's law
(asktog.com/...).
works against the radio button.
The user must aim precisely to select an option.
Standard radio buttons are suitable:
for a conscious choice from a limited set of options (7 at most).
for low-frequency functions where clarity is more important than speed.
in combination with other input widgets in a form.
A piece of javascript, sent in by Mr. Verseput himself
(verseput.com)
makes the text clickable as well.
The improved radio buttons are suited to high frequency usage.
Hyperlinks, like radio buttons, are clear at once.
Users are accustomed to click on links to navigate from screen to screen.
The clickable area is large, an easy target.
Buttons offer the same advantages as hyperlinks.
They offer a complete overview of possible options, along with a large clickable area.
They even tempt users to click on them.