Control Menu for Direct Record Navigation in Child Views
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of software applications face inefficiencies when navigating multiple data records in a tabular format, requiring frequent backtracking and page reloading, which consumes time and processing resources.
Innovation Solution
A control menu is integrated within the child view, allowing users to navigate directly to details of other data records without returning to the parent view, using target data attributes as navigation buttons, thereby reducing page requests and clicks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users navigate to drill down into another record by backtracking through the route they took, then they can return to the original view of multiple records, but valuable time is consumed and the navigation process becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
A control menu is introduced as an intermediary element within the child view that provides direct navigation links to other records. This control menu acts as a mediator between the current record view and the parent view, allowing users to jump between records without backtracking through the original navigation path.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation functionality is segmented into two parts: the original hierarchical navigation path and a new direct navigation control menu. This segmentation allows users to choose the more efficient direct navigation method when available, while preserving the original navigation structure for cases where it remains useful.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users frequently backtrack and reload pages to navigate between records, then they can access different data records, but processing resources are consumed and interface flickering occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The control menu is prepared in advance within the child view, containing all necessary navigation links to other records. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for dynamic page reloading when users need to navigate to different records, as all navigation options are already available in the current view.
Solution Approach 2:
The control menu enables continuous navigation between records without interrupting the current view or requiring page reloads. Users can seamlessly transition between records while maintaining their place in the workflow, avoiding the stop-start nature of traditional backtracking navigation.
3Productivity
If a control menu is integrated within the child view to allow direct navigation, then user time and processing resources are saved, but the interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control menu is designed to be universally applicable across different child views and record types. By using a standardized control menu component that can display different navigation options based on the current context, the solution avoids creating unique complex interfaces for each record while still providing customized navigation where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a system and method for generating a control menu in a child page of a software application which can control selections of records in a parent page from which the child page depends. In one example, the method may include navigating a display window from a parent view of a plurality of data records to a child view that includes details of a first data record in response to selection of the first data record via the parent view, displaying a control menu within the child view which comprises a plurality of values of a target data attribute for the plurality of data records, respectively, detecting, via the control menu, a selection of a value of a target data attribute of a second data record, and removing the details of the first data record and instantiating details of the second data record, in response.