One interface that I find quite usable in place of a tree is the 'collapsing side tabs/panels' type (for lack of a better description).
The thing
I find most annoying about tree navigation (in most software) is the fact that it is cluttered, bunched up and easy to miss-click on. The side panel system helps to alleviate these issues, whilst maintaining the tree structure.
Unfortunately, I cannot think of an example of exactly what I mean, although I know they exist, so here is an attempt at a descripition...
1) Take the root level tree nodes, turn them into clickable "Button bars", the full width of the navigation pane
2) Make it so that as one of these button bars is depressed the following happens:
- The embossing/shadow/"button effect" for that button is reversed or otherwise altered
- The NON-Selected button bars are pushed to the bottom of the navigation pane
- The selected node is expanded to show its sub-nodes (leaves?)
The same would happen with sub-nodes so that the end effect would look something like
(you will need to use some imagination to get a proper idea....)
|
Playing Now |
Audio |
- All |
- (Multiple Artists) |
-- Best of Air Guitar |
-- Best of Classical |
--- Beethoven |
---- Sonata in F Minor |
---- Sontata in C Minor |
---- Symphony No. 7 |
. |
. |
. |
---Greig |
---Mozart |
---Schubert |
-- Best of Pop |
-- Best of Rock |
-Mozart |
-Other artists |
Images |
Video |
Playlists |
|
NOTE:
- dots are not there
- Dashes are only to assist with level identification in the mock-up
- We are looking at a multiple artist album with works by Beethoven, Greig, Mozart and Schubert, and have selected Beethoven, Symphony #7
This should make navigation cleaner and possibly simpler to navigate, yet maintain the abilities inherent in the tree structure. Of course, some will want at least two areas of the 'tree' open at any one time, but I'm sure that could be figured out (Spilt the pane in half? ... sticky a certain spot open?)...
Just an idea.....