Re: tooltips for web-based apps?

[Lisa Wright <liwright -at- earthlink -dot- net>]

A couple of points:

1. If they are internationalizing or localizing the other parts of the 
interface, then this is not really that much of a big deal. Well I say 
that. As long as they've done it correctly from a technical perspective, 
it shouldn't be a big deal. I won't attempt technical details because 
it's been awhile since I looked at it, but I know Java, for example, has 
mechanisms to handle this specifically. It will however add to the 
translation costs.

2. Why do you want to do it? You are probably adding cost to the 
product. What's the benefit, from the company's perspective? Do you have 
a maintenance plan that involves the technical people being responsible 
for maintenance, or do you envision you/your department having permanent 
responsibility?

3. Who's telling you that it would be a nightmare? Are you trying to 
push this initiative on your own, or do you have supporters in, say, the 
marketing department? Does the company have established interface 
standards, of which tool tips are an element?

Advice:
Fields, if they have labels, can be self explanatory, and the tool tips 
you provided are redundant and not worthwhile from a resource or user 
perspective. That said, I think tool tips for _buttons_ are well worth 
it, because you don't want to assume that your users are oriented to the 
iconography (is that a word?) of the interface. Tool tips for buttons 
should be included. Cite the numerous interface standards that are 
available. MS, Sun, Apple among others all have interface guides, plus 
there are numerous books on interface design. "GUI Bloopers" is a good one.

Oh, and do understand from a technical perspective what it would take 
based on the language/framework your developers are using.

MTC,
Lisa

lyndsey -dot- amott -at- docsymmetry -dot- com wrote: