Document Editor Search Region for Operation Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic document editors require significant time and cognitive effort for users to find and perform relevant document operations due to the multitude of available functions, leading to inefficiencies in document editing processes.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that concurrently displays a document and a document operation search region, allowing users to input search terms and receive a list of relevant document operation labels, which are displayed based on popularity, user data, and interface data, enabling quick selection and execution of desired operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional electronic document editors display all document operations in menus and toolbars, then users have access to complete functionality, but users experience significant time and cognitive effort to find relevant operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically analyzes the user's current document context and proactively presents relevant operation labels without requiring the user to search through menus. The system serves itself by detecting what operations are relevant based on the selected text or document state, and immediately displaying those operations in the search region.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the document context and pre-presents relevant operation labels before the user needs to search for them. By detecting the current document state and anticipating needed operations, the system prepares and displays appropriate labels in advance, reducing the user's search time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electronic document editors provide numerous document operation functions, then users have comprehensive editing capabilities, but users experience cognitive burden when selecting appropriate operations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of presenting all possible operations uniformly, the system applies local quality by customizing the displayed operation labels based on the specific document context. Different contexts (selected text type, document structure, user preferences) result in different sets of relevant operations being displayed, making the interface adapt to local needs rather than presenting a fixed comprehensive menu.
Solution Approach 2:
The set of displayed operation labels is dynamic and changes based on the user's current document state, selections, and interactions. As the user moves through the document or changes selections, the relevant operations are dynamically updated and re-presented, ensuring the interface adapts to the current task rather than remaining static.
3Reliability
If electronic document editors require users to navigate through multiple menus to find operations, then all operations are accessible, but user productivity decreases due to extra steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the relevant operation labels from the complete set of available operations and presents them in the search region. By separating and displaying only the subset of operations that are relevant to the current context, the system maintains accessibility to all operations (they remain in the full menu structure) while improving productivity by eliminating the need to navigate through irrelevant options.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes providing for display at a user device associated with a user a graphical user interface (GUI) of an electronic document editor application of an electronic document system. The GUI includes a document view to display at least a portion of an electronic document that is editable by the user of a first users and a search region to receive one or more search terms. The method includes receiving an indication of a user activation of the search region. Responsive to receiving the indication of the user activation of the search region, the method determines a subset of document operations, among multiple document operations, based on one or more criteria. The method provides, to the user device, an indication of the subset of document operations for display at the GUI as commands for user selection.