[Design] [Sum] Preview area

[Mimi Yin]

I have written up a summary of the design discussions surrounding the  
Preview area (bug 4610) PLUS 1 more suggestion for a design alternative.

http://wiki.osafoundation.org/bin/edit/Journal/SummaryPreviewPane? 
t=1145037939

I'd like to get a sense of how easy/hard it would be to try out any/ 
all of the proposals and compare them after using each one over a  
period of time.

Summary of Preview Pane discussions and Proposals
Several people report a bug because they are confused with the  
Preview Pane's inconsistent behavior across App areas. In the  
Calendar app, it is stuck showing Today's events. In the other App  
areas, it shows events for whatever day is selected in the mini-cal:  
http://lists.osafoundation.org/pipermail/design/2006-March/004298.html

Mimi takes issue to the list, explaining reasoning behind  
inconsistent behavior: http://lists.osafoundation.org/pipermail/ 
design/2006-February/004051.html

Others reply with how they use the Preview Pane in the Calendar App,  
it is useful for it to be stuck on Today's events, even though  
admittedly it is confusing at first: http://lists.osafoundation.org/ 
pipermail/design/2006-March/004298.html

Proposals

    * Current design: In the Calendar app, the preview pane is stuck  
showing Today's events. In the other App areas, it shows events for  
whatever day is selected in the mini-cal.

    * Alternate design 1: Make the Calendar app consistent with the  
other App areas. Add extra visual feedback in the mini-cal so the  
user can select a day within a week...when they're in the week view,  
so the user can control which day of the week they want to see in the  
Preview pane.

    * Alternate design 2: In the Calendar app, we add a label:  
Today's events at the top of the Preview pane.

    * Alternate design 3: In all Apps areas, the Preview pane is  
stuck on Today's events. However, the user can mouseover different  
days to preview events for those days. (Might be too much interaction  
feedback. More disorienting than useful.)

Mimi :o)
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