HUI design principle-metaphors

Criteria for good examples:

Use metaphors involving concrete, familiar ideas and make the metaphors plain.

Let people can connect the idea from something familiar with the app.

The use doesn’t have to limit the implementation of the metaphor.

Should be spread widely throughout the interface, rather than used once at a specific point. Even better would be to use the same metaphor spread over several apps.

An application cannot incorporate several different metaphors, as long as they don’t clash.

What about the cultural boundaries? (U.S. mailbox with a rounded top, a flat bottom, and a little red flag on the side, but there are no mailboxes of this style in Europe.)

Good examples:

File folder

Desktop

Trash can

Menus

itunes playlists

iphoto albums

Dashboard

Tape transport controls

Music sequencers ( incorporate both “tape transport” and “sheet music” metaphors)

Source comes from:

http://www.sylvantech.com/~talin/projects/ui_design.html

http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/AppleHIGuidelines/XHIGHIDesign/XHIGHIDesign.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30000353-TP6

Apple computer, Inc. (1993) Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines. Mariani Avenue Cupertino: Addison-Wesley Professional. ISBN: 0201622165