Context Menu Customization for Software Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inexperienced users face difficulties in locating customization options within software applications, particularly in complex enterprise systems like ERP and CRM, due to the need for an overall understanding of the application's functionalities and their relationships, which can lead to prolonged exploration times.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that outputs information on how to locate customization entries associated with specific functions in the software application's user interface, utilizing a uniform customization system that stores and retrieves customization data, and employs a Runtime Customization Evaluation mechanism to determine application behavior, allowing users to navigate and adjust settings directly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized customization user interface is used to organize all customization entries in one place, then the system provides comprehensive customization options, but inexperienced users require significant time to explore and locate the right customization entries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a context menu as an intermediary element that appears when users right-click on a function in the application interface. This context menu directly displays relevant customization entries without requiring users to navigate through the centralized customization tree, thereby bridging the gap between the function being used and its customization options.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the customization interface by creating context-specific customization menus that are displayed separately for different functions. Instead of presenting all customization entries in a single centralized location, the system divides customization options into multiple context-specific groups that are displayed near the relevant functions, reducing the search space for users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive customization categories and subcategories are provided in the centralized interface, then all customization functionalities are accessible, but users need overall understanding of application functionalities to navigate efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to the customization interface by displaying context menus directly adjacent to the functions in the application interface. This transforms the traditional hierarchical navigation approach into a spatially-organized interface where customization options are visually proximate to their corresponding functions, eliminating the need for users to understand the overall application structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing customized context menus specific to each function's customization needs. Each context menu contains only the customization entries relevant to that particular function, rather than presenting all possible customization options uniformly across the interface. This allows users to access appropriate customization options without needing to understand the global customization structure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the customization tree structure is used to organize customization entries, then the system maintains structured customization data, but inexperienced users face difficulty in exploring and finding the right customization entries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy or representation of the customization tree structure in the form of context menus that appear next to functions. These context menus contain the essential customization entries needed for each function without requiring users to navigate the complete hierarchical tree structure. This copying approach preserves the structured organization of customization data while presenting it in a more user-friendly format.
Data Source
AI summary
The technique introduced here includes a uniform customization system, which can support the customization of multiple software applications simultaneously. Customization data of a software application can be developed separately from the development of the application. The customization data is then stored, via the uniform customization system, into a customization storage. When the software application is executed, the software application retrieves, from the storage, the values of the customization data via the uniform customization system. The uniform customization system outputs the retrieved customization data indicating the current working context of a user, which may be used by the user to locate customization options in a customization user interface of the software application, for customizing functions performed in the current working context.