[WEB400] Design Patterns for Database Maintenance Screens

["Nathan M. Andelin" <nandelin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Friends,

In order to implement the user interface for a broadly scoped business
application, it would be helpful to have a few design patterns for database
maintenance screens - the idea being that such patterns might be used across
multiple modules (Human Resource, Financial, Warehousing, Transportation,
Administration, Etc.).

There are a number of good design patterns for "green screen" interfaces.
But I'm currently working with a group that is more interested in HTML
interfaces.  In fact, the patterns might be implemented in hundreds of
different programs.

With HTML, one thought is to size the screen according to the height and
width of the browser's window, using a border to outline the user's work
area, and using inline frames to reduce screen flicker as new information is
presented to the user.

For example, see:

http://www.relational-data.com/rdweb/aos320/absence.html

This link is presently using static HTML pages.

What are your thoughts about defining a user's a work area that normally
wouldn't scroll? Are you aware of other design patterns for maintenance
programs that we might consider?

Thanks,

Nathan M. Andelin
www.relational-data.com