Last updated October 16, 2012. Created by Bojhan on October 10, 2012.
Edited by ksenzee, Cottser, tim.plunkett. Log in to edit this page.
Problem
Tables with many operations feel cluttered and focus is lost on the most common operation(s). For example, in the Views interface there are 4 possible operations, but "enable" is the most commonly used.
Solution
Show a small drop-down button in the operations column with the primary operation shown and secondary operations hidden under a drop button. The drop-down only shows operations applicable to the row.
Usage
Used to group related operations, most commonly used in tables. Other interfaces where there are multiple operations with one clear primary operation may also benefit from the drop button pattern.
Recommendations
- Choose a sensible primary operation, the 80% operation. Often this is "edit".
- Keep the task link text short; preferably 1 to 3 words.
- Avoid similar labels such as "Edit menu" and "Edit menu links".