Quick Return UI design pattern (named by Roman Nurik on G+) is a screen real estate saving design pattern that still allows users to access important off screen controls by easily moving them back to the screen.
This design pattern has been in use in the Google Now app from its launch as well as on various other apps mostly on other platfoms.
If you don't have access to the Google Now app check out the screenshots below. The Google Search box is initially on the top part of the screen but it scrolls out of the screen with the UI. No matter how far the users scrolls down the search box always reappears when user starts to scroll up.
The latest Google+ app update brought the same design pattern to the G+ app and into a very central role. The new post controls were moved out from the action bar to a quick return container.
When to use this design pattern?
Screen real estate is very valuable on small screens. Apps should dedicate as much as possible of it to the actual content instead of controls. Often an app has much more controls, even frequently used controls, that can be placed on the action bar. Adding a second permanent action bar will use much more screen space.I'm not saying that gmail app should use the quick return pattern. I'm only using gmail as example of space used by controls.
Of course, the quick return pattern only works with a scrolling container like a list or a website. In fact, I would very much like to see this approach being adopted by the Google Chrome browser for Android with the URL bar.
Quick Return on large screens
Google+ app is an interesting example of this design pattern as the app adapts very nicely to multiple screen sizes. The app also changes scroll direction when on landscape mode.Google+ landscape on Galaxy Nexus
What is striking to me on when using the quick return in Google+ in landscape mode is that it seems to be wasting space instead of saving it. Wouldn't the three actions now fit to the action bar instead?
On Nexus 7
The same thing is apparent on a larger screen like the Nexus 7.
On a 10" tablet
On a 10" tablet screen the quick return really starts to feel cumbersome and somewhat awkward looking.
Don't forget the URL bar on the ICS/JB native browser (not chrome) that has used this pattern from the get-go (and is something I would love to see firefox for android pick up personally).
ReplyDeleteGood point. I actually hadn't used the stock browser for so long time that I forgot that. I had to go back and try it out. I don't particuarily like that specific implementation as the URL bar does not follow the scroll but to be honest that's a small detail.. It does seem to make a big difference to the feel of the UI however.
DeleteI hate it on G+. It takes up room, and catches my eyes to provide 3 actions that I never use. I just love to discover and test new patterns, but I don't think that this one is useful, at least in G+. In Google Now it makes more sense, but an Action Bar would do the job too.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is quite disastrous anti-pattern in G+. It appears way too often, about 100 times for often than I actually want to write a post from mobile. And the previous solution was just fine.
DeleteI have to agree on that. The action bar had been the correct position for these actions. The current implementation makes me trying to hide the appearing actions all the time in Google+.
DeletePulse used something like this ages ago.
ReplyDeleteAs an idea for developers, the iPhone's default messaging app uses this concept to hide and show the keyboard when scrolling through text messages. It is very handy.
ReplyDelete