[UI] Ch6 Direct Manipulation and Virtual Environment

(Designing the User Interface, Ben Shneiderman and Catherine Plaisant, Addison-Wesley, 2004, ISBN 0-321-19786-0)

• 6.4 3D Interfaces
• "enhanced" interface may be better than 3D reality: enable superhuman capabilities
• make the interface better than reality
• questionable application: those which simple 2D representations would do the job
• successful application: game environment, 'cuz increasingly rich social contexts based on spatial cognition
• provide 3D desktops and workspaces, sometimes based on office and room metaphors, but not yet spawned successful products.
• modest use of 3D techniques: add highlights to 2D interfaces, e.g. button
  -> improve use of spatial memory
  -> but also distracting (visual complexity)
  
• check list for effective 3D interface:
• ...
• keep text readable
  
• simplify user&object movement
• enable users to construct visual groups to support spatial recall
  
• guidelines for inclusion of enhanced 3D features:
• provide overview so users can see the big picture
• provide history keeping
• enable remote collaboration
• ...
  
• Enhanced 3D interfaces could be the key to making some kinds of 3D teleconferencing, collaboration, and teleoperation popular.