Color as a Visual Resource in User Interface for Programming

[[Je...]]

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I've got a game for you:

As quickly as possible, find the following icons in the Calypso toolbar below:





1. Features Editor

2. 3D Curve

3. CAD Evaluation





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Didn't take long, did it 😉


Color and contrast are effective tools in user interface. Now, just think if I had incorporated better use of blank space and button grouping...

Zeiss, I think you need to consult me (and other programmers) to assist in redesigning Calypso's UI. It's long overdue.

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[[To...]]

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It took me longer because I am not familiar with your customized tool bar. What happened to muscle memory?

[[Je...]]

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That's an outstanding point, Tom, but our brains map to muscle memory faster with the use of color. The exercise was how fast you could spot the objects; not how fast you could find them in comparison to your existing toolbar.

I find that great software understands Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and applies this to Visual Design in UX (User Experience).
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[[Mi...]]

Haha... thanks for my next downtime project. Customizing the icon files.

I have a custom toolbar, but I still constantly grab the wrong "Feature representation, Feature settings editor, and characteristics settings editor" Not for long.

[[To...]]

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I don't disagree however, in your test, one still has to know or remember what the various icons look like regardless of color. So, my muscle memory gets me in the right neighborhood and then a quick visual assessment of the icons, brings me onto the target. Would color help, probably. Not changing the shape every few years would definitely help. I am grateful the locations of the icons don't change, custom toolbars excluded. Custom toolbars increase productivity, until you go sit in front of someone else's computer...LOL

[[Da...]]

Am I the only one left who really, really likes to use the old style menus we used before ribbon bars and symbol bars and such...?

I find them highly efficient.

[[Je...]]

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That's an interesting take, Daniel. Thanks.

I like how software with elite UI allows the user to customize highly. For example, in Solidworks, the user can create hybrids in toolbar appearance to achieve a balance between legacy and newer elements.

However, one outdated UI element that I greatly want Zeiss to diminish is the use of is multi-level flyout menus. The form of waste created by these is similar to the Lean Manufacturing concept of "Waste of Motion." The path length of the mouse pointer should be made lean when performing common functions.

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[[An...]]

I too am a fan of the colored icons. This could definitely be something to add to with MyVoice to see if we can get some options for the older icons.

Here is a post already started in regards to that topic.

https://portal.zeiss.com/my-voice/softw ... dfcc809367


Also I would see if this Knowledge base article works for your set up, a little bit of a hack to get the old icons manually.

https://portal.zeiss.com/knowledge-base?id=1759176

[[Je...]]

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Thanks, Anthony! Hi btw.

If you check my history of My Voice posts, you'll notice that more than half speak to UI and visual improvements. It's something I'm passionate about. I believe it's an undervalued but vital aspect to metrology software.

Sadly, I've noticed a decrease in user engagement on My Voice, which is a direct response to the lack of ownership to these by Zeiss. Ultimately, that's what the requests are: They're Customer Needs, not suggestions.

Yes, Zeiss personnel read them. Yes, they mark several of these items as "complete," often because a process is technically possible though difficult or even painful to do (we're often asking for a BETTER way to do something already possible). However, the reality is that very little follow-through is accomplished, especially when it comes to user interface.

In this case, I'm advocating for more than just icon improvement. A thorough toolbar, menu and full UI update is in order. Calypso has a large enough market share and user base to warrant heavy financial investment by Zeiss. It's the software that decides the ceiling for a metrology company. Hardware is important, but hardware is driven by the software.

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[[Ch...]]

Jeff,

I totally 100% agree. You're hired !!
Just make sure you hire me on as well when you get in - and a few others here on the forums.

On a side note .. as you may be aware - I believe it is possible to 'theme' some of these icons. (can't tell if the pic you shared is an icon swap or photoshop, etc) I'm actually surprised this forum doesn't have a few custom ones for download already... (probably because we're all too busy, and Zeiss changes things too often)

I've seen some 'other' softwares and the layout/aesthetics do seem more visually appealing and friendly ,etc.

[[Ow...]]

Everybody knows how I feel about the interface change 🙁.
At least bring back the colored run icon, I don't want to have to be on the characteristics or features tab to select the run icon at the bottom. It's probably petty of me, but I want to just look at the top and select it no matter what tab I'm on.

[[Je...]]

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😄 Absolutely. I'm not sure we can afford you, Chris, but we'll try to poach you away from Moog.

Yeah, they're actual icons. I was just messing around a bit.

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Theming icons is great idea 🤔

[[Ri...]]

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Are there icons in prior versions?

[[Je...]]

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Hi Rick.

All versions of Calypso have folders in their installation directory to store the software's icons. It's simple to replace them. When the ineffective colorless icons were introduced, I swapped them out and pasted in the colored icons from previous versions.

It's been interesting to learn about the guts of Calypso and how it is works. I have a folder on my pc called "Calypso Autopsy" 😄.


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The original architecture was brilliant. The close relationship of the programmer to feature geometry was groundbreaking at the time of Calypso's inception, and that strength is still what separates it from other metrology software. If Calypso were a house, we would say "it has good bones." It does, however, need modernization in order to continue competing with other software. The value-add would not simply come from change for the sake of change. Calypso's UI needs to get smart and keep pace with what we've learned about human-computer interaction.

[[Ch...]]

Jeff - I agree again.

Further, with the way AI is going - I personally think we should see a Calypso A.I. version in 2025 - I mean why not ??
I would like to see a bit more customization as well. I would honestly beef up the development team to really stay a leader on top, if I were them.

I mean Feature Control Frames on reports, still do not exist, really??
Also try to print a message on screen without the "ok" button, (other than display(), which often is backgrounded)
we could go on...

All this being said I still prefer this to DMIS softwares mostly.

[[Ri...]]

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I did a sample on one icon, first thing I noticed was loss of transparency of the icon when Calypso loads.
What editor are you using, or you aren't concerned with transparency?

[[Je...]]

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Rick,

Yes, for the sake of appearance it's best to use an editor that can preserve image transparency.

I use an image editor called GIMP. It's free and can do anything Adobe Photoshop can do. However, there's a bit of a learning curve for new users.

[[No...]]

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Yes, it's sad. I already lost my enthusiasm for this tool long ago, when the predecessor of MyVoice (old portal) was still alive. I had suggested a couple of improvements back then, almost all of which were never implemented or dismissed right away without Zeiss even having understood the problem.
I had hoped for improvement when the new portal went live, but sadly it was all the same. Today I only enter a new suggestion when it can be explained in a few words. My time is too valuable to waste it with fruitless explanations. But even when I do, I don't really expect anything to happen. My last one didn't even make it to ANY state of approval or dismissal and I'm not alone.

I can only envy you for your confidence.

[[Ri...]]

I have found Paint.net works well with transparency.

Big Thanks!

Capture.PNG

[[Je...]]

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For anyone looking to create custom icons, I would encourage you to review the article that Anthony posted as much of the "discovery" phase of that endeavor is already laid out.
I would encourage you to submit your icon files to a thread for all to share. Users may customize their personal interface at their own will (and risk 🤣 ). Who knows, maybe someone starts a KB article in the Knowledge Base that hosts them all 😎

Keep in mind: Any installation of a Service Pack may wipe your changes out!

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Jeff, please keep in mind that for UI changes, an extremely rigorous review process is in place that must be satisfied before any UI changes can be made. This means that any feature add or UI change order must be on the approved "road map" with development. As CALYPSO is always in 2-3 years of development stages prior to release, any change would likely not be realized for 2 years at minimum unless emergency review is invoked. While I see this as a passionate topic for many, and I do understand that, it is not an "emergency review" priority. MyVoice is indeed utilized significantly to develop the roadmap for future versions. Internally, we use the same interface for all internal suggestions for user-story creation to start development review. Unfortunately, the complexity of this software requires significant development time to implement functionality and UI changes. I know the counter argument is "its just icons though" or "it wasn't hard to change in '22". It is also all documentation and media that is created in relation to the software as well. UI changes, while appearing simple and superficial, are quite complex and impactful. I am not intending to rain on your parade here as I do appreciate your suggestions and am, in general, a huge fan of the ideas that are presented in this Forum. My only intent here is to convey they the sentiment of "Please have patience, changes take time" without appearing dismissive of your discussions.

[[Je...]]

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Please! Send them my way! I will select those that are impactful to most users (or that I think are neat 😃 ) and attempt to highlight them with our development teams. I promise no miracles but I am always looking for great ideas to promote from those using the product.

You can email myself (jeffrey.penrod@zeiss.com) or Lucas, from the US SW Help Desk team (lucas.mohrbach@zeiss.com) with any suggestions. Lucas has taken on the task of documenting enhancement suggestions that filter in from the US SW Help Desk AEs during support interactions with our users. I assure you, this team actively pursues the mindset of a ZEISS customer advocate and makes every attempt to relay your feedback to the relevant ZEISS teams.

Additionally, posting your MyVoice suggestions to the Forum for additional views is always a good idea. Not only does this improve the "ranking" of your suggestion but may inspire others to submit their own idea or to simply review the other idea submissions from others.

[[Je...]]

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Hi Jeff!

Thanks for keeping the discussion going about this and pointing us to the KB.
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User interface and the Customer Experience is such a vital part of metrology. The need for improvement is much larger than just an icon refresh, although that's part of it.

I wonder if decision-makers at Zeiss would be willing to invest in Calypso and making it a smarter, more up-to-date software. This would call for professional UI talent to get involved, whether other companies or within Zeiss, for consulting and development. It would also be appropriate to get the customer involved i.e. cmm programmers from around the world, not just in Germany. This would be a sizeable project and require capital investment, but it would be value-added and fully worthwhile.

[[Je...]]

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I am optimistic based on information I have received.

[[Je...]]

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Hi Jeff,

Thank you for providing an inside look at Zeiss's development process and the rigor involved in making changes.

While I agree that "changes take time," competition is a powerful motivator. Nothing drives companies to enact change faster than the perception of missed opportunities.

My colleagues and I are always willing to explore competitor software to ensure we are utilizing the best solutions available for our customers. While I love Zeiss products, I am not married to them. If Zeiss does not show its dedication to listening to the voice of the customer by heavily investing in Calypso and ensuring it is the best metrology software available, they will see decay in their market share rather than growth.

I need measurement software that leverages what we've learned about human-computer interaction to make programming leaner and smarter—software that is visual and intuitive. Calypso's feature-oriented architecture and its noticeable improvements over the years give it a great head start. I'm interested to see if Zeiss is willing to employ capital and take some calculated risks to make Calypso the undeniably best choice for metrology software.


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