How does UI design differ when designing a software appliance console from traditional web applications?

Question

• Are there any open source frameworks that are for this purpose?
• How does UI design differ when designing a software appliance console from traditional web applications?
• Any examples of particularly well-design user interfaces for software appliances?

Answer 1

Just been through this recently. First rule is make it simpler than you would make a web application. Simpler in design, because you want it to be as reliable as possible. Simpler in functionality because an appliance tends to stay in use for a long time; you don't want to be vulnerable to the vagaries of new browsers.

Answer 2

I think you'd find Alan Coopers book About Face quite useful. I have the 1st edition of this, and it talks about various postures of an application.

In your case, a software appliance console is an example of a transient posture application - one where you cannot assume users have prior knowledge or experience. This leads to various decisions - from offering fewer choices, to including more on-screen guidance.

There's more to this than I can describe here, go buy, borrow or steal a copy to read yourself.