Ribbon tab and panel logic

The ribbon's tab and panel order, labeling and organization of tools follows a pattern that was designed to be flexible enough to accommodate multiple products while still allowing us to address Revit users' core work-flows. Before designing anything, our teams performed a series of day-long task analysis exercises with users and internal subject-matter experts to gain a clearer understanding of our five major disciplines (architecture, structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical.) This research, in combination with interview, observation, and usage data collected over time led to the creation of work-flow diagrams that guided us throughout the rest of the design process. (Unfortunately, I cannot post these diagrams here, since they represent proprietary intellectual property.)

We then set out to design a tab and panel organizational system that could be applied consistently across multiple products and accommodate the varied user work-flows. This pattern went through many iterations. It basically boils down to these guidelines:

• Ribbon tabs represent a distinct work-flow (e.g. Annotation, Collaborate) or set of related tasks (e.g. View, Manage) The intent is to reduce the need for users to switch between multiple tabs to perform a series of tasks in a work-flow.
• Each tab is labeled with a single word (two at the most) that reflects the work-flow and clearly distinguishes it from the rest.
• Tabs are organized left to right based on a loose chronological order: You build model components, insert items, annotate the model, and so on.
• There should be no more than nine primary ribbon tabs.
• Panels represent groupings of tools used to accomplish a specific task(s) within the tab's work-flow. (e.g. Dimension, Detail.) Panels are ordered generally left to right based on frequency of use. However, based on usability data, we made exceptions and placed the most commonly used panel directly under the tab name to reduce mouse travel:

It is important to remember the ribbon was not designed to be configurable to fit specific work-flows (we explored this possibility, but had to shelve it) but to accommodate the major Revit disciplines. So the ribbon layouts had to be generalized to work across many different AEC work-flows. That said, we tested the layouts on many different types of users and tasks to ensure that it worked generally. The common tab labeling and order for all AEC products using the ribbon is as follows (bold items are in all AEC products - if  a non-bold item is in a product, it appears consistently in that left-to-right spot.) The ribbon is essentially split into two parts:

Content Creation

1. Home: Creating the building model
2. Insert: Adding content into the model
3. Annotate: Adding text, 2D elements  and detailing
4. Modify: Action-object tools - those that modify existing model elements by selecting
5. Render: AutoCAD products only (legacy tab)
6. Analyze: Running analysis on the existing model
7. Massing & Site: Creating massing and site objects

Managing the project

8. Collaborate: Collaborating with team members and coordinating model changes
9. View: Creating and modifying views
10. Output: AutoCAD only (legacy tab)
11. Manage: Management of the project settings
12. Add-Ins: Third-party add-ins (only appears when add-ins are installed)

This tab order was the result of many iterations. Throughout many usability tests one constant emerged: The tab label and panel organization are more important than tab location for discoverability. Regardless of the left-to-right order, as long as the label was clear users learned within minutes where all of the tools were.

To accommodate cases where a specific work-flow requires the a lot of switching between multiple tabs, we added two customization features that allow you to choose which tools to make persistent: floating panels and the Quick Access Toolbar. These will be explained in more detail in a future post.

Comments

[eddy krygiel]

Tom-
Thanks for a great layout and explaination of the how's and why's of the ribbon.

[Mark Schmieding]

Is there a 'last tool' key or bar in the new interface? You know how some programs keep an running bar of the last few functions in an easy-to-get-to toolbar... Similar to how RAC2009 keeps the last two drawings methods used next to the simple line segment icon for easy repeating. I suppose a 'Use Last Tool' keyboard shortcut would help a lot also.

BTW, this blog is a GREAT idea, because it allows one to digest bits and pieces of the upcoming release without getting 'over-stuffed' - Thanks! Mark

[Anthony Hauck]

We do not have a "last tool" feature, but that is a compelling idea.

[Tom]

Tom,

I hate to say it but this is exactly what I was afraid of. The example you listed hides one of the tools I use over and over on a day to day basis, but no less or more than the other two versions of the trim tool.

Currently there are 3 "modes" for the trim command. The chamfer style to connect two lines, the crossing or as it is labeled here extend, and then the third where you trim multiple items to one entity or reference. From what I gather that will be nested under the "extend" listing.

As for offset and even split, I use those much less than the trim command. Granted, I'm just one user but this imposed hierarchy is what causes folks to hate the ribbon in the current iterations. And personally it is why I'd much rather see the more compact version shown from Inventor a few posts back.

Tom

[Chad]

"However, based on usability data, we made exceptions and placed the most commonly used panel directly under the tab name to reduce mouse travel:"

I can see how this holds true and is a good move for the fixed Tabs, but it certainly doesn't hold true for Contextual Tabs.

For Contextual Tabs the Panel/s that are directly under the Tab label aren't the ones you typically need, and furthermore these panels are usually greyed out.
This isn't necessarily an issue when the Contextual Tab is first presented, but if you are needing to jump around tabs (which has already been noted as a workflow issue) while mid-command to grab other tools or switch views etc, when you come back to the Contextual tab, the commands you require aren't the ones directly under the Tab label.

This then increases mouse travel because the tools are located far left. "Panels are ordered generally left to right based on frequency of use."

Are there plans on reducing the excessive mouse travel distance for these Tabs as you have done for the fixed Tabs?

[Chad]

Sorry forgot to add one more thing.

"We do not have a "last tool" feature, but that is a compelling idea."

I like this idea too!

Since we are talking about consistent UI changes across applications, it should be noted that requests have already been made over the years (well before the Ribbon conception) to get a repeat previous command via the Spacebar (like in AutoCAD), since it currently does nothing when Revit is idle.

There are other examples of these tiny UI enhancements from other Autodesk applications that would suit Revit perfectly that have been continually requested by the Revit user, but have been ignored. Users have been requesting application consistencies long before Autodesk thought of the idea.

[Andrew Dobson]

Was thought given to making the revisions dialog box easier to find?