[kde-guidelines] Styleguide: Message Panel (was: Balloon)

[Heiko Tietze]

System triggered notification
* Provide a message panel to inform users about non-critical problems. 

http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/HIG/MessageWidget

== Purpose ==
A ''message panel'' is a small pop-up panel shown at top of the current form 
that informs users of a non-critical problem or special condition. The panel 
shows information on four levels indicated by different colors and icons, and 
provides standard action that users might want to initiate.

== Examples ==

== Guidelines ==
* Use message panel in cases of non-critical problems that user can solve.
** Use ''positive feedback'' (aka error) to notify about user-initiated 
processes, e.g. to indicate completion of background tasks 
** Use ''negative feedback'' as a secondary indicator of failure, e.g. if a 
transaction was not completed successfully
** in discussion: <font color="blue">Show the information on a warning level 
in case of relevant information that do not concern the current workflow, e.g. 
No Internet connection available.</font>
** Use ''opportunistic interaction'' (aka notification) to acknowledge the user 
about options that he or she might be interested in, e.g. Remember password?
* Display the information immediately.
*  Auto remove a message when the problem is resolved or special condition is 
removed.
* Do not auto remove the panel if users can't continue until the problem is 
resolved.
* When users dismiss the panel, do not display any other UI or start any other 
side effect.
* Do not add additional controls to the message panel.
* Consider to show a notification if Information does not concern the actual 
workflow.

== Implementation ==
cf. http://community.kde.org/Sprints/UX2011/KMessageWidget

+++++++++++++++++++++

The warning level (yellow) has a strange implementation. It shows up after a 
critical problem has been acknowledged by the user (unsaved changes, no write 
permission etc.) and the only difference to negative feedback (red) is that 
workflow is not interrupted. I believe it's better to reserve yellow for a 
different level between red and green. My first idea with "not concerns current 
workflow" is false because it points rather to the notification.