Difference between revisions of "Slicer3:UIDesign"

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[[Slicer3:Interface_Design|Return to Slicer3 Interface Design and Usability ]]
 
[[Slicer3:Interface_Design|Return to Slicer3 Interface Design and Usability ]]
  
 +
[[Slicer4:UIDesign | Go to Slicer4 UI Design page ]]
 +
 +
<br>
 +
 +
<br>
 +
'''This page contains a catalog of user interface design and development notes for various aspects of Slicer 3.4, 3.6 (based on KWWidgets) and links to new work on Slicer 4.0 (based on Qt).'''
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
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= User Feedback: Feature, Resource, Application Convention Requests =
 
= User Feedback: Feature, Resource, Application Convention Requests =
  
−
Please add your useful comments to [http://www.na-mic.org/Bug/my_view_page.php Bugs, Requests & Usability Issues ]. At the Mantis bug tracker, login (or create an account) and select Slicer3 as your project.
+
 
 +
Please add usability feedback to Slicer3's [http://www.na-mic.org/Bug/my_view_page.php bug tracker]. If you are not familiar with the bug tracker:
 +
* login or create an account
 +
* choose Slicer3 as your project (upper right corner)
 +
* and select Report Issue.
 +
* make sure to choose the correct category for your report (select "usability" for usability issues).
 +
 
 +
Early feature requests can also be found  '''[[Slicer3:FeatureRequests|here.]]'''
 +
 
  
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
−
= Some Embodiment History=
 
  
−
* [[Media:GUIMap.png| Earlier embodiment of main application GUI]]
 
−
* [[Media:SmallSliceGUI.png| Earlier design for Slice Viewer and Slice Controller Widgets]]
 
−
* [[Media:NavZoomWidgetSketch.png|Design sketch for the 3D navigation & Slice magnifier widget]]
 
−
* [[Media:SlicerLookFeelDraftSmall.jpg|Early look and feel draft]]
 
−
* [[Media:LayoutSketch.gif|First sketch of the GUI layout design]]
 
−
* Link to a running [[Slicer3:VisualBlog|visual blog ]] highlighting progress in the Slicer3 embodiment.
 
  
−
<br>
+
= Codes to mark contributions =
 +
 
 +
These wiki pages can be hard to parse. Here's an experiment for marking feedback to make it easier to parse; (copy, paste and customize from below).
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Opinion.png]] '''(wjp)''' Add a general comment or opinion.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Usability.png]] Flag a usability problem.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Idea.png]] Mark an idea.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign#Codes_to_mark_contributions | Mark a link to related info.]]
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Bug.png]] Report a bug.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Fire.png]] Report a really bad bug that's blocking work progress, or causing a crash.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:MissingOrStaleDoc.png]] Report missing documentation.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:MissingOrStaleDocLink.png]] Report bad documentation link.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:WeakDoc.png]] Report insufficient documentation.
 +
 
 +
= '''Slicer 4.0:''' Working problems in QT Interface Design and Implementation =
 +
 
 +
[[Slicer3:Developers:Projects:QtSlicer|See this link for ongoing project]]
  
−
= Working problem: Slicer3 workflow for Tractography: usability issues, design & planning =
 
  
−
Working with Dr. Jean-Jacques Lemaire, we are understanding the use of Slicer in a complicated tractography analysis, within the context of a particular workflow. This work is identifying many usability issues, software bugs, and ideas for improvement. These pages are a touchstone for the project.
+
= '''Slicer 3.6:''' Working problems in Interaction and interface design for KWWidgets-based Slicer interface. =
  
−
== General issues, comments and feature requests==
+
= Working problem: Consolidated Load in Slicer including a Data Management System =
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Organization| Organization of Presentation Layer]] ===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:XNAT_Desktop_GUI_Design | Link to design sketches extending XNAT Desktop to have OsiriX-like UXP & functionality]] ==
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Semantics| Naming conventions]] ===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:Slicer_Consolidated_Load_GUI_Design | Link to info for Slicer Consolidated Load Design integrating a local file management system]] ==
  
−
== Overview of Workflow for this project ==
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:XNAT_Enterprise_QueryWidget | Link to user specifications and design sketches for a Qt-based Query Widget for XNAT Enterprise]] ==
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Workflow| Workflow overview ]] ===
+
= Working problem: Mouse Modes in Slicer3 =
  
−
== General issues within workflow steps ==
+
Since a left-mouse-button click in Slicer's 3D or Slice Viewers can mean different things at different times; this can be confusing to users, and can lead to mistakes. We are currently deciding a good paradigm for defining and controlling mouse modes in Slicer's 3D viewer and 2D slice windows. We rely on mouse interaction to transform the view, and to perform explicit actions like placing a fiducial, selecting and moving a fiducial, collecting voxel-value samples, and so on. The challenge is to make all actions possible with just the left mouse button (some mice have only one button), and to disambiguate what a left-mouse-button click in the 3D and Slice viewers means.
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Loading | Loading]] ===
+
'''Goals:''' We'd like the interaction paradigm to have the following features:
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Saving | Saving]] ===
+
* Consistent in all slice windows and 3D viewer
 +
* Reflect common software conventions
 +
* Intuitive and easy for beginners
 +
* Fast for intermediate and expert users
 +
* Rely on only one mouse button (but accommodate multiple mouse buttons)
 +
* Support direct manipulation as much as possible
 +
* Provide clear visual feedback about current mouse mode
 +
* Support both '''view transformation''' (rotate, pan, zoom) as the primary mode, and a set of '''mouse actions''' (pick, manipulate, place, etc..., and '''window/level adjustments''' according to convention in medical imaging software packages.
 +
* Consistent classification of all direct-manipulable entities in slicer into a set of groups, and have consistent behavior for 'selecting' all entities within each group.
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:PreRegistration| Pre-registration]] ===
 
  
−
=== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Registration| Registration]] ===
+
==Current issues we want to address in existing Slicer3 implementation:==
  
−
...notes on rest of the workflow developing.
+
* Mouse motion should '''default''' to "transform view" mode
 +
* Interaction relies on three mouse buttons (for rotate, pan, zoom, etc.) which aren't always present on all computers
 +
* It's currently easy to forget about persisting non-transform mouse modes (like pick or place) and assume that the view can be transformed -- leading to annoying errors. We want to avoid these errors
 +
* Would like to free up right mouse button to invoke the display of a 'context menu', but well-established convention uses right mouse button for zooming in all viewers.
 +
* Would like BOTH intuitive one-handed mouse-only interaction to be possible AND hot-key assisted shortcuts to be available.
 +
* We need to combine the concepts of '''active''' (volume or model, etc.), '''selected''' (volume or model...) and '''picked''' (volume or model...)
 +
* We need to design presentation treatments for all groups of selectable entities within Slicer, and a consistent presentation treatment for all selected entities within each group.
  
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
−
= Working problem: Module Management Wizard Interface & Interaction Design Storyboard =
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:MouseModes:OtherSoftware | Link to Other software conventions...]] ==
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:MouseModes:SelectionAndManipulation | Link to Notes on Selection and Direct Manipulation ]] ==
 +
 
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:MouseModes:WhatToPick | Link to Developer & user suggestions for what we need to pick]]==
 +
 
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:MouseModes:Draft1 | Link to User suggestions and Early draft ]] ==
 +
 
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:MouseModes:SelectedVersusActive | Link to Notes on State=Selected vs. State=Active in MRML ]] ==
  
−
This wizard allows users to uninstall modules from their current build or to download and install new modules. Currently working on a usable design. Storyboard roughed out during IGT project week Dec8-12 '08, (Terry Lorber, Steve Pieper, Wendy Plesniak)
 
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:ModuleManagementWizard:Draft1|Draft 1]]==
 
  
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:ModuleManagementWizard:Draft1|Draft 2]] (not yet ready)==
 
  
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
−
=Working problem: Save Data Widget=
+
= Working problem: CTSC: Facilitating Tumor Analysis Workflow in Slicer =
 +
 
 +
'''Contributors:''' Ron Kikinis, Jeff Yapp, Randy Gollub, Wendy Plesniak
 +
 
 +
'''Goals:''' Perform the following analyses in Slicer and create presentation & tutorial materials
 +
 
 +
* '''A. Single Volumetric Dataset''' Basic Volumetric Measurements for Tumor Assessement
 +
** Linear
 +
** Volumetric
 +
* '''B. Dynamic Volumetric Data''' Visualize & Analyze Perfusion Data
 +
** Define ROI
 +
** Interactive Plot of Contrast Dilution as Function of Time
 +
** Measure Peak (first priority) & Transit (second priority) times in Blood Pool & Tumor
 +
** Save timepoints
 +
*** Intensity(t) for ROI1
 +
*** Intensity(t) for ROI2
 +
* '''C. PET Dataset''' Basic Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) Analysis
 +
** Segment Tumor by Hand (ROI or VOI, circle or sphere will work)
 +
** Normalize by SUV (use maximum value)
 +
** Extract Parameters:
 +
*** For single tumor: SUVmax_Baseline, SUVmax_Timepoint, %change
 +
*** For multi tumor: SUM(SUVmax_Baseline) - SUM(SUVmax_Timepoint), %change
 +
* '''D. Visualization Requirements''' Displaying Static, Dynamic and PET data
 +
* '''E. Presentation Materials''' Powerpoint Slides for CTSA IRAT
 +
** '''Deadline: September (for October meeting)'''
 +
*** Short slideset showing Slicer overview & BC tumor analysis
 +
** '''Deadline: November (for RSNA in December)'''
 +
*** Full slidesets including Basic Training and Specific hands-on BC tumor analysis
 +
 
 +
[[media:RSNASlidesUnderDevelopment.ppt | Tutorial slides currently under development ]]
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:BCAnalysis:Volumetric| Link to info for A. Volumetric Analysis]] ===
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:BCAnalysis:Dynamic| Link to info for B. Dynamic analysis]] ===
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft1|Draft 1 and notes]]==
 
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft2|Draft 2 and notes]]==
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:BCAnalysis:PET| Link to info for C. PET Analysis]] ===
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft3|Draft 3 and notes]]==
+
= Working problem: Customizable layouts for Slicer3 =
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft4|Draft 4 and notes]]==
+
Instead of a finite set of layout options, we would like to provide users the ability to select among a richer set of layouts, some created to be appropriate for analyzing certain kinds of studies, and the ability to customize their application layout as well. We have begun working on ideas at the NA-MIC January 2009 AHM.
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft5|Draft 5 and notes]]==
+
Contributors: Jim Miller, Steve Pieper, Ron Kikinis, Julien Finet, Jean Christophe Fillion-Robin, Wendy Plesniak
  
−
<br>
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerFlexibleLayout:UXP| Link to first draft of user experience design]] ===
  
−
= Working problem: Scene Snapshot Interface =
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerFlexibleLayout:UXP2| Link to second draft of user experience design]] ===
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SceneSnapshots | Scene Snapshot UI Design]]==
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerFlexibleLayout:UXP3| Link to tabbed-slicer layout]] ===
  
−
<br>
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerFlexibleLayout:Architecture| Link to first ideas about layout architecture ]] ===
  
−
= Working problem: Application-wide support for ROI definition =
+
= Working problem: Slicer3 workflow for Tractography: usability issues, design & planning =
  
−
==GOALS:==
+
Working with Dr. Jean-Jacques Lemaire, we are understanding the use of Slicer in a complicated tractography analysis, within the context of a particular workflow. This work is identifying usability issues, software bugs, and ideas for improvement. These pages are a touchstone for the project.  
−
* determine relationships between label maps, implicit regions (spheres, circles, ellipses), and vector-format region definitions.
 
−
* determine what kinds of ROIs we will allow users to create/edit at application level
 
−
* determine how to expose ROI functionality application-wide (without "wormholing" to an ROI module)
 
−
* provide tools for defining, editing ROIs
 
−
* provide tools for converting ROIs into label maps (?)
 
−
* provide good mouse+hotkey design
 
−
* generalize implementation to eventually accommodate DICOM-format ROIs
 
−
* determine relationship between fiducial lists and ROIs (from implementation pov).
 
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:EditorToolbox | Draft ROI design]] ==
+
Contributors: Jean-Jacques Lemaire, Nicole Aucoin, Wendy Plesniak, Steve Pieper, Alex Yarmarkovich, Andriy Fedorov, Haiying Liu
  
−
== Link to [[ Slicer3:EditorUsabilitySessions#Editor_design_sketch_3_.28ROI_toolbox.29: | Interface & interaction design]] drafted at June NA-MIC Project Week ==
+
== General issues, comments and feature requests==
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:EditorUsabilitySessions | Earlier notes from Editor module usability sessions]] ==
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Organization| Link to Organization of Presentation Layer]] ===
  
−
<br>
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Semantics| Link to Naming conventions]] ===
  
−
= Working problem: Consistent checkbuttons and radiobuttons across platforms (Issue Resolved) =
+
== Workflow overview and details on sub-steps ==
  
−
== GOALS ==
+
Below is a rough outline of the tractography analysis workflow currently in use (pending a proofreading check by J-J). The workflow can be broken down into general stages:
−
Currently, radiobutton and checkbutton indicators display their state differently on different platforms Slicer supports. For instance, visually similar indicators on linux and windows actually represent different states. This can be confusing for people who work on both platforms. So instead of using the default Tk bitmaps for the indicators, we are proposing to use our own image data which will display the same on all platforms.
 
  
−
* develop a custom slicer widget as an extension of vtkKWCheckButton
+
* setting up: including loading and saving and adjusting data display properties
−
* disambiguate current "deslected" radiobutton icon state -- it can be read as "disabled"
 
−
* override method for turning the old indicator visible/invisible (always keep it off)
 
−
* develop visually parseable convention for icons to represent:
 
−
** selected
 
−
** deselected
 
−
** disabled
 
−
* use methods SetImageToIcon and SetSelectImageToIcon to display selected/deselected icons, selected/deselected icons+indicators
 
−
* provide blank icons with and without indicators for people to download.
 
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:RadioCheckButtons | Radio and check button tests]] ==
+
* registration of target dataset to a reference dataset
  
−
<br>
+
* exploratory and analytic tractography
  
−
= Working problem: Navigating with fiducials (Issue resolved: implemented in Editor module and Edit Box)=
+
[[Image:DTIworkflowOverview.png]]
  
−
==GOALS:==
+
(if the figure should be corrected, please let me know how to fix -- maybe deformation should be part of the registration step).Data loading happens up front, but data and the scene may be saved frequently throught the workflow. Highlighted are some areas where serious usability issues have been flagged. 
−
* use fiducials as markers for features of interest
 
−
* allow navigation to fiducial points within a slice window and
 
−
* allow navigation to same fiducial point in all slice windows (a feature we're calling 'jumpslice').
 
−
* want to read-out which fiducial is currently being viewed while navigating
 
−
* want to expose these features in top level in each slice controller widget
 
−
* want also to keep the slice scrollbar from getting too small to use.
 
−
* want to indicate which slice scrollbar direction is R,L, S,I, A,P, depending on orientation
 
  
 +
A plan to address these issues will be discussed on Dec 29/30 2008 at the next Slicer Developers meeting.  Notes from that meeting and a proposed development plan will be posted here.
  
−
== Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:NavigatingWithFiducials | Fiducial navigation UI design sketches]] ==
+
The sections below contain collected comments and suggestions for all workflow stages: '''Setting up''', '''Registration''', and '''Tractography'''. Markers on the figures indicate places where problems are reported.
  
−
<br>
 
  
−
= Working problem: Cine display for viewing and analyzing multi-volume data in Slicer3 =
+
[[Image:DTIworkflowSetup.png]]
  
−
==Link to [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:CineDisplay | Drafts of UI for Cine Display ]]
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Loading | Link to Comments on Data/Scene Loading]] ===
  
 +
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]]  [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Saving | Link to Comments on Saving]] ===
  
−
<br>
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]]  [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:PreRegistration| Link to Comments on Quality check & Deformation (Pre-registration)]] ===
  
−
= Working problem: Mouse Modes in Slicer3 =
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]]  [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Registration| Link to Comments on Registration]] ===
  
−
Currently, a left-mouse-button click in Slicer's 3D or Slice Viewers can mean different things at different times; this can be confusing to users, and can lead to mistakes. We are currently deciding a good paradigm for defining and controlling mouse modes in Slicer's 3D viewer and 2D slice windows. We rely on mouse interaction to transform the view, and to perform explicit actions like placing a fiducial, selecting and moving a fiducial, collecting voxel-value samples, and so on. The challenge is to make all actions possible with just the left mouse button (some mice have only one button), and to disambiguate what a left-mouse-button click in the 3D and Slice viewers means.  
+
[[Image:DTIworkflowRegistration.png]]
  
−
'''Goals:''' We'd like the interaction paradigm to have the following features:
+
=== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerUsabilityInTractography:Tractography| Link to Comments on Tractography]] ===
  
−
* Consistent in all slice windows and 3D viewer
+
[[Image:DTIworkflowTractography.png]]
−
* Reflect common software conventions
 
−
* Intuitive and easy for beginners
 
−
* Fast for intermediate and expert users
 
−
* Rely on only one mouse button (but accommodate multiple mouse buttons)
 
−
* Support direct manipulation as much as possible
 
−
* Provide clear visual feedback about current mouse mode
 
−
* Support both '''view transformation''' (rotate, pan, zoom) as the primary mode, and '''mouse actions''' (pick, manipulate, place, etc...) as additional modes.
 
  
 +
<br>
  
−
==Current issues we want to address in existing Slicer3 implementation:==
+
= Working problem: Welcome Module for Slicer3.4 release =
  
−
* Mouse motion should default to "transform view" mode
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:WelcomeModule:Draft | Link to Mockup]]==
−
* Interaction relies on three mouse buttons (for rotate, pan, zoom, etc.) which aren't always present on all computers
 
−
* It's currently easy to forget about persisting non-transform mouse modes (like pick or place) and assume that the view can be transformed -- leading to annoying errors. 
 
−
* Would like to free up right mouse button to invoke the display of a 'context menu', but well-established convention uses right mouse button for zooming in all viewers.
 
−
* Would like BOTH intuitive one-handed mouse-only interaction to be possible AND hot-key assisted shortcuts to be available.
 
−
* We need to combine the concepts of '''active''' (volume or model, etc.), '''selected''' (volume or model...) and '''picked''' (volume or model...)
 
−
* We need to design a consistent rendering treatment for all selected objects (model, volume, fiducial, vertex, label).
 
  
−
=== Developers /user suggestions: What do we need to pick? ===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:WelcomeModule:VersionA | Link to First Draft Implementation]]==
  
−
At the June 2007 project week at MIT, we determined that we'll need to be able to pick several distinct things in Slicer, and the single "pick" mouse mode currently available was not going to provide the unambiguous picking functionality we need. Please add your picking needs to the list developing below. Thanks!
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:WelcomeModule:VersionB | Link to Second Draft Implementation]]==
 +
<br>
  
−
* single/multiple vertices on models (for plotting, we need to be able to get the closest vertex ID)
+
= Working problem: Design revision on Fiducials GUI for Slicer3.4 release =
−
* single/multiple cells on models ( need to calcuate the vertex usually)
 
−
* single/multiple points on surfaces (for placing fiducials, get RAS)
 
−
* single/multiple models
 
−
* model groups
 
−
* single/multiple "nodes" in general
 
−
* "node" groups
 
−
* single/multiple volumes
 
−
* single/multiple fiducials
 
−
* single/multiple ROIs
 
−
* tensors
 
−
* voxels in volumes
 
−
* slices in volumes
 
−
* subvolumes
 
−
* general polygons?
 
−
* annotations?
 
−
* two points to make a line? (this is a ''place'' operation, rather than a ''pick'')
 
−
* for tractography, we need to pick:
 
−
** cell in a model (to get one fiber trajectory)
 
−
** entire models (to pick a bundle)
 
−
** ideally, a model group (to pick an entire structure like the corpus callosum that includes several bundles)
 
−
* It would also be very cool to have a plane widget for 3D intersection tract selection.
 
−
* for tractography and other things with an intermediate processing step before visualization (generation of glyphs or whatever)
 
−
** it may be useful for picking to indicate what was picked, if several models are displayed per node
 
−
** like: model #2 was picked, then my code can know that is a glyph model, rather than a line model, if that is ever needed.
 
−
** this depends on the final implementation of Alex's new cool display API, whether there is ever >1 model allowed
 
  
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:FiducialsGUIDesignRevisions:Draft | Link to Draft1]]==
  
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:FiducialsGUIDesignRevisions:Draft2 | Link to Draft2]]==
  
−
===User-suggestions for interaction patterns===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:FiducialsGUIDesignRevisions:Draft3 | Link to Draft3]]==
  
−
* various lassos would be nice to select multiple of the thing current mode indicates
+
= Working problem: Module Management Wizard Interface & Interaction Design Storyboard =
−
* single click to select one of the thing the current mode indicates
 
−
* control-click to select multiple of the thing the current mode indicates
 
−
* a shift-click to select ALL of the thing the current mode indicates
 
  
−
===Proposed mouse mode design===
+
This wizard allows users to uninstall modules from their current build or to download and install new modules. Currently working on a usable design. Storyboard roughed out during IGT project week Dec8-12 '08, (Terry Lorber, Steve Pieper, Wendy Plesniak)
  
−
The following four mouse modes are proposed:  
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:ModuleManagementWizard:Draft1|Link to Draft 1]]==
−
* '''Pick''' (or ''select''),
 
−
* '''Manipulate''' (or ''transform selected''),
 
−
* '''Place''' ( or ''create new object''), and
 
−
* '''Transform View'''.  
 
  
−
Transform View is the default mode. All other modes can be invoked in a non-persistent manner from this mode with hot-keys. (which keys to choose?) The proposed design attempts to accommodate user requests listed above, and to provide keyboard+mouse commands for transform view and transform object that are consistent across modes.
 
  
−
[[image:MouseModes.png]]
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:ModuleManagementWizard:Draft1|Link to Draft 2]] (not yet ready)==
  
−
===Current bindings:===
+
<br>
  
−
* 3D viewer: left mouse button >> rotate
+
= Working problem: Consolidating Load functionality =
−
* 3D viewer: middle mouse button >> pan
 
−
* 3D viewer: mouse wheel button >> zoom in/out
 
−
* 3D viewer: right mouse button, pull drag >> zoom in
 
−
* 3D viewer: right mouse button, push drag >> zoom out
 
  
−
* Slice viewer: left mouse button >> select/move a fiducial point
+
Functionality to load data is spread all over the application... we want to begin consolidating it in some simple fashion and to gradually implement a more integrated and appropriate solution.
−
* Slice viewer: middle mouse button >> pan
 
−
* Slice viewer: mouse wheel button >> scroll slices
 
−
* Slice viewer: right mouse button, pull drag >> zoom in
 
−
* Slice viewer: right mouse button, push drag >> zoom out
 
−
* special key-bindings enable placing of fiducials
 
  
−
===Proposed bindings: ===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:ConsolidatedLoad:Draft1|Link to Draft 1]]==
  
−
'''Pick mode:'''
+
<br>
−
* left-mouse-button click (mouse up) for single selection
 
−
* ctrl+left-mouse-button click (mouse up) for multiple selection
 
−
* shift+left-mouse-button click (mouse up) for selecting all of a datatype, where appropriate
 
  
−
'''Manipulate mode:'''
+
=Working problem: Save Data Widget=
−
* left-mouse-button press+drag to rotate
 
−
* middle-mouse-button press+drag to translate
 
−
* right-mouse-button press+drag to scale
 
−
* shift+left-mouse-button press+drag to translate
 
−
* ctrl+shift+left-mouse-button press+drag to scale
 
  
−
'''Place mode:'''
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft1|Link to Draft 1 and notes]]==
−
* left-mouse-button-down creates and initially places an object
 
−
* drag translates the object in X,Y
 
−
* left-mouse-button-up finalizes place operation.
 
  
−
'''Transform view mode:'''
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft2|Link to Draft 2 and notes]]==
−
* left-mouse-button press+drag to rotate
 
−
* middle-mouse-button press+drag to pan
 
−
* right-mouse-button press+drag to zoom
 
−
* shift+left-mouse-button press+drag to pan
 
−
* ctrl+shift+left-mouse-button press+drag to zoom
 
  
−
===Selection behavior===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft3|Link to Draft 3 and notes]]==
−
Once the concepts of 'active' and 'selected' are folded together, then all transformable data types will be either selected or unselected. When selected they should display a consistent visual treatment that makes this state clear. This presents a number of challenges that we need to address.
 
  
−
'''Challenge 1: Consistent mouse-over behavior for widgets and selectable data objects.''' Ideally, when the application is in "Pick" mode, there will be consistent mouse-over and selection behavior between VTK widgets and VTK objects representing datasets in the scene. How does an application currently know whether the mouse is over a VTK widget -- is a pick constantly running against a list of instanced widgets? In order to have datasets or sub-sets highlight on mouseover (highlight-rendering aside), the mouse would continuously  have to pick, which is too computationally expensive to be practical.
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft4|Link to Draft 4 and notes]]==
  
−
'''Approach:''' One approach is to attach VTK widgets to each object in the scene, as is implemented in the fiducials module. This could be visually noisy, and it may be hard to tell which object a widget is attached to. Maybe better: we could adapt the QueryAtlas picker to display a model name, label name, cell ID (whatever is appropriate for the datatype being picked) on mouse-over in pick mode.
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SaveDataWidget:Draft5|Link to Draft 5 and notes]]==
  
−
'''Challenge2: Clear and clean select feedback for data objects in the scene, compatible with rendering of active vtk widgets.'''
+
<br>
  
−
'''Approach:'''
+
=Working problem: Slicer & XNAT Informatics =
  
−
'''Challenge3: Ability to easily clear selections.''' Currently, 'active' models and volumes etc. are persistent, but since their 'active' state isn't visually indicated in the scene, this state remains kind of hidden -- and is only revealed in the vtkSlicerNodeSelectorWidgets in the GUI panel. But once 'active' and 'selected' represent the same concept and the visual presentation of any/all selected datatypes is displayed in Slicer viewers, this change of interactive behavior will be very noticeable to users.
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerInformatics:Draft1|Link to Fetch Medical Informatics (FetchMI) implementation 1 notes]]==
  
−
'''Approach:''' Once the scene display becomes affected by any object's selected state, users are likely going to want to have a QUICK & EASY option to '''deselect all''' after they perform some processing on a selected dataset. Candidate approaches would be to inclue a "deselect all" option in the drop-down pick menu, or an explicit "deselect all" icon in the toolbar.
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SlicerInformatics:Profiling_and_Refining|Link to Fetch Medical Informatics (FetchMI) and RemoteIO profiling/refining notes]]==
  
−
===Manipulation behavior===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [http://www.na-mic.org/Wiki/index.php/CTSC_Ellen_Grant,_CHB  Link to CTSC Use-case: Grant & Pienaar at Children's Hospital Boston] ==
−
A ''vtkSphereWidget'' could be created and displayed surrounding a single or a set of selected objects when Manipulate mode is invoked. The widget would remain active until Manipulate mode was exited or all objects were deselected.
 
  
−
===Tests: visually rendering selected objects ===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [http://www.na-mic.org/Wiki/index.php/CTSC_Brad_Dickerson,_MGH  Link to CTSC Use-case: Brad Dickerson at Mass General NMR] ==
  
−
What values of ambient, specular and color are used in the first image?
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [http://www.na-mic.org/Wiki/index.php/CTSC_Simon_Warfield,_CHB  Link to CTSC Use-case: Warfield & Weisen at Children's] ==
  
−
<gallery perrow="2" widths="500px" heights="300px">
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [http://www.na-mic.org/Wiki/index.php/CTSC_IGT,_BWH  Link to CTSC Use-case: Managing Image Guided Therapy (NCIGT) Restrospective Data at Brigham & Women's Hospital] ==
−
Image:Ambient and color.png|Changes to color, ambient, specular and ambient ( all muscles are the same color in the original)
 
−
Image:Slicer3ModelsSelectedAmbientRed.jpg| Using higher ambient setting and red colour to show selected state (inherited from Slicer2)
 
−
Image:Slicer3ModelsSelectedAmbient.jpg| Using ambient setting to show selected state
 
−
Image:Slicer3ModelsSelectedBoundingBox.jpg|Using a bounding box (vtkBoxWidget2) to show selected, bonus of allowing interaction with the model (one off test via the tkcon, need to design the callbacks to allow moving the selected model)
 
−
Image:Slicer3ModelsSelectedSphere.jpg|Using a sphere widget (vtkSphereWidget2) to show selected. Not recommended, as this is more used to position a point on the sphere, and probably won't work as intuitively as the bounding box
 
−
</gallery>
 
  
−
===State in MRML===
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [http://www.na-mic.org/Wiki/index.php/CTSC_Slicer_XNE Link to FetchMI XNE extension planning (work with Curtis Lisle)] ==
  
−
Currently, Slicer uses the concept of '''active''' datasets (the active volume, an active model, and active fiducial list, etc.) Application-wide, only a single datatype can be active at one time. This set of active datatypes is represented in the '''vtkMRMLSelectionNode'''.
+
<br>
  
−
The fiducials module also uses the concept of '''selected''' fiducials within any fiducial list. Many command line modules use only selected fiducials in their processing.
+
= Working problem: Scene Snapshot Interface =
  
−
We propose to collapse these ("active" and "selected") into one state variable and move that concept consistently into the codebase, which includes the following work:
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:SceneSnapshots | Link to Scene Snapshot UI Design]]==
  
−
* defining '''Selected=0 or 1''' on a vtkMRMLTransformableNode.
+
<br>
−
* modifying the ''vtkMRMLSelectionNode'' to include multiple selected objects within any datatype
 
−
* extending the ''vtkSlicerNodeSelectorWidget'' to include checkbuttons rather than radiobuttons for nodes that can have multiple selections
 
−
* Changing the term '''active''' to '''selected''' in the codebase, (Fiducials module, ROI module, SlicesControlGUI, ViewControlGUI, ApplicationLogic and MRML XML parsing). MRML XML parsing should continue to support the "active" tag to remain backward compatible.
 
−
* Building the selection logic that appropriately marks objects as selected or deselected.
 
−
* Encourage developers to conform to this convention of setting and using the '''Pick''' mode for selection instead of overloading the '''Transform View''' mode with hot-keys (provide example of how to get and set the mouse mode, and how to use the selection logic.
 
  
−
== Other software conventions... ==
+
= Working problem: Application-wide support for ROI definition =
  
−
===How Actions and View Transformations are done in Maya===
+
==GOALS:==
 +
* determine relationships between label maps, implicit regions (spheres, circles, ellipses), and vector-format region definitions.
 +
* determine what kinds of ROIs we will allow users to create/edit at application level
 +
* determine how to expose ROI functionality application-wide (without "wormholing" to an ROI module)
 +
* provide tools for defining, editing ROIs
 +
* provide tools for converting ROIs into label maps (?)
 +
* provide good mouse+hotkey design
 +
* generalize implementation to eventually accommodate DICOM-format ROIs
 +
* determine relationship between fiducial lists and ROIs (from implementation pov).
  
−
Maya is a very heavily used professional 3D animation package. Basic mouse bindings are:
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:EditorToolbox | Link to Draft ROI design]] ==
  
−
* Rotate: alt-left mouse button
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[ Slicer3:EditorUsabilitySessions#Editor_design_sketch_3_.28ROI_toolbox.29: | Link to Interface & interaction design]] drafted at June NA-MIC Project Week ==
−
* Pan: alt-middle mouse button
 
−
* Zoom: alt-right or alt-right-and-middle mouse button
 
−
* Actions: always left mouse button, specific action depends on current mode
 
−
* Context menu: space bar
 
  
−
The advantage of this approach is that the left mouse button is freed up for many possible tasks such as selection, grabbing widget handles, etc. Disadvantage is that it requires two hands to operate.  (A free copy of an almost-fully functional version of Maya is [http://www.autodesk.com/maya-trial available] for testing ).
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:EditorUsabilitySessions | Link to Earlier notes from Editor module usability sessions]] ==
  
 +
<br>
  
 +
= Working problem: Consistent checkbuttons and radiobuttons across platforms (Issue Resolved) =
  
−
===How Actions and View Transformations are done in Blender===
+
== GOALS ==
 +
Currently, radiobutton and checkbutton indicators display their state differently on different platforms Slicer supports. For instance, visually similar indicators on linux and windows actually represent different states. This can be confusing for people who work on both platforms. So instead of using the default Tk bitmaps for the indicators, we are proposing to use our own image data which will display the same on all platforms.
  
−
[http://www.blender.org Blender] is an Open Source modeling and animation package similar in many ways to Maya (almost like GIMP is to Photoshop). Basic mouse bindings are:
+
* develop a custom slicer widget as an extension of vtkKWCheckButton
 +
* disambiguate current "deslected" radiobutton icon state -- it can be read as "disabled"
 +
* override method for turning the old indicator visible/invisible (always keep it off)
 +
* develop visually parseable convention for icons to represent:
 +
** selected
 +
** deselected
 +
** disabled
 +
* use methods SetImageToIcon and SetSelectImageToIcon to display selected/deselected icons, selected/deselected icons+indicators
 +
* provide blank icons with and without indicators for people to download.
  
−
* Rotate: alt-left mouse button OR middle mouse button
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:RadioCheckButtons | Link to Radio and check button tests]] ==
−
* Pan: shift-middle mouse button
 
−
* Zoom: control-middle mouse button
 
−
* Actions: mostly left mouse button
 
−
* Context menu: space bar
 
  
 +
<br>
  
−
===Note: Mac bindings===
+
= Working problem: Navigating with fiducials (Issue resolved: implemented in Editor module and Edit Box)=
  
−
On a one-button mac, the following translations work by default in Mac OSX:
+
==GOALS:==
−
* single button -> left mouse button
+
* use fiducials as markers for features of interest
−
* alt (option) + button -> middle mouse button
+
* allow navigation to fiducial points within a slice window and
−
* apple (command) + button -> right mouse button
+
* allow navigation to same fiducial point in all slice windows (a feature we're calling 'jumpslice').
 +
* want to read-out which fiducial is currently being viewed while navigating
 +
* want to expose these features in top level in each slice controller widget
 +
* want also to keep the slice scrollbar from getting too small to use.
 +
* want to indicate which slice scrollbar direction is R,L, S,I, A,P, depending on orientation
  
−
---
 
  
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:NavigatingWithFiducials | Link to Fiducial navigation UI design sketches]] ==
  
 +
<br>
  
 +
= Working problem: Cine display for viewing and analyzing multi-volume data in Slicer3 =
  
 +
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:CineDisplay | Link to Drafts of UI for Cine Display ]]==
  
 +
<br>
  
 +
= Working problem: Linked controls in Slicer3 =
  
−
== GUI screenshots from other packages: ==
+
== Goals ==
−
Below are snippets of SketchUp's interface, and Maya's Interface. Maya's mouse modes switch between object transforms (translate, rotate and scale), object or region select, and an extrude function. SketchUp's mouse-mode icons switch between view transforms (translate, rotate, zoom) and an object extrude function.
 
  
−
[[image:sketchupInterface.png | SketchUp Example ]]
+
Slice viewing can operate in the context of a single slice reformation or in a ''linked'' state where multiple slice viewers respond to interactions with any slice viewer. When Slice Viewers are linked, a number of viewing geometry and view representation parameters are linked across viewers.
  
−
[[image:mayaInterface.png | Maya Example ]]
+
== [[Image:Sketch.png]] [[Slicer3:UIDesign:WorkingProblems:LinkedControls | Link to Drafts of UI for Linked Controls ]]==
  
 
<br>
 
<br>
Line 379: Line 379:
 
* [[ Slicer3:FiducialsUsabilitySessions | Fiducials functionality ]]
 
* [[ Slicer3:FiducialsUsabilitySessions | Fiducials functionality ]]
  
 +
= Some Embodiment History=
 +
 +
* [[Media:GUIMap.png| Earlier embodiment of main application GUI]]
 +
* [[Media:SmallSliceGUI.png| Earlier design for Slice Viewer and Slice Controller Widgets]]
 +
* [[Media:NavZoomWidgetSketch.png|Design sketch for the 3D navigation & Slice magnifier widget]]
 +
* [[Media:SlicerLookFeelDraftSmall.jpg|Early look and feel draft]]
 +
* [[Media:LayoutSketch.gif|First sketch of the GUI layout design]]
 +
* Link to a running [[Slicer3:VisualBlog|visual blog ]] highlighting progress in the Slicer3 embodiment.
  
 +
<br>
  
 
[[Slicer3:Interface_Design|Return to Slicer3 Interface Design and Usability ]]
 
[[Slicer3:Interface_Design|Return to Slicer3 Interface Design and Usability ]]

Latest revision as of 02:26, 27 November 2019

Home < Slicer3:UIDesign

Return to Slicer3 Interface Design and Usability

Go to Slicer4 UI Design page



This page contains a catalog of user interface design and development notes for various aspects of Slicer 3.4, 3.6 (based on KWWidgets) and links to new work on Slicer 4.0 (based on Qt).

Contents

Slicer users

Core user communities:

  • (NAC) Longitudinal and multi-channel dataset analysis
  • (BIRN/NA-MIC) Individual and group analysis
  • (IGT/AMIGO) Real-time control and tracking in the operating theater
  • (IGT) Neurosurgical planning and guidance

Types of users:

  • Algorithm researchers (who work within 3DSlicer's development environment and with associated toolkits)
  • Biomedical engineers (who rely on 3DSlicer's interactive enironment and scripting capabilities)
  • Application scientists (who use 3DSlicer as a desktop application and turnkey system)


User Feedback: Feature, Resource, Application Convention Requests

Please add usability feedback to Slicer3's bug tracker. If you are not familiar with the bug tracker:

  • login or create an account
  • choose Slicer3 as your project (upper right corner)
  • and select Report Issue.
  • make sure to choose the correct category for your report (select "usability" for usability issues).

Early feature requests can also be found here.




Codes to mark contributions

These wiki pages can be hard to parse. Here's an experiment for marking feedback to make it easier to parse; (copy, paste and customize from below).

Opinion.png (wjp) Add a general comment or opinion.

Usability.png Flag a usability problem.

Idea.png Mark an idea.

Sketch.png Mark a link to related info.

Bug.png Report a bug.

Fire.png Report a really bad bug that's blocking work progress, or causing a crash.

MissingOrStaleDoc.png Report missing documentation.

MissingOrStaleDocLink.png Report bad documentation link.

WeakDoc.png Report insufficient documentation.

Slicer 4.0: Working problems in QT Interface Design and Implementation

See this link for ongoing project


Slicer 3.6: Working problems in Interaction and interface design for KWWidgets-based Slicer interface.

Working problem: Consolidated Load in Slicer including a Data Management System

Sketch.png Link to design sketches extending XNAT Desktop to have OsiriX-like UXP & functionality

Sketch.png Link to info for Slicer Consolidated Load Design integrating a local file management system

Sketch.png Link to user specifications and design sketches for a Qt-based Query Widget for XNAT Enterprise

Working problem: Mouse Modes in Slicer3

Since a left-mouse-button click in Slicer's 3D or Slice Viewers can mean different things at different times; this can be confusing to users, and can lead to mistakes. We are currently deciding a good paradigm for defining and controlling mouse modes in Slicer's 3D viewer and 2D slice windows. We rely on mouse interaction to transform the view, and to perform explicit actions like placing a fiducial, selecting and moving a fiducial, collecting voxel-value samples, and so on. The challenge is to make all actions possible with just the left mouse button (some mice have only one button), and to disambiguate what a left-mouse-button click in the 3D and Slice viewers means.

Goals: We'd like the interaction paradigm to have the following features:

  • Consistent in all slice windows and 3D viewer
  • Reflect common software conventions
  • Intuitive and easy for beginners
  • Fast for intermediate and expert users
  • Rely on only one mouse button (but accommodate multiple mouse buttons)
  • Support direct manipulation as much as possible
  • Provide clear visual feedback about current mouse mode
  • Support both view transformation (rotate, pan, zoom) as the primary mode, and a set of mouse actions (pick, manipulate, place, etc..., and window/level adjustments according to convention in medical imaging software packages.
  • Consistent classification of all direct-manipulable entities in slicer into a set of groups, and have consistent behavior for 'selecting' all entities within each group.


Current issues we want to address in existing Slicer3 implementation:

  • Mouse motion should default to "transform view" mode
  • Interaction relies on three mouse buttons (for rotate, pan, zoom, etc.) which aren't always present on all computers
  • It's currently easy to forget about persisting non-transform mouse modes (like pick or place) and assume that the view can be transformed -- leading to annoying errors. We want to avoid these errors
  • Would like to free up right mouse button to invoke the display of a 'context menu', but well-established convention uses right mouse button for zooming in all viewers.
  • Would like BOTH intuitive one-handed mouse-only interaction to be possible AND hot-key assisted shortcuts to be available.
  • We need to combine the concepts of active (volume or model, etc.), selected (volume or model...) and picked (volume or model...)
  • We need to design presentation treatments for all groups of selectable entities within Slicer, and a consistent presentation treatment for all selected entities within each group.


Sketch.png Link to Other software conventions...

Sketch.png Link to Notes on Selection and Direct Manipulation

Sketch.png Link to Developer & user suggestions for what we need to pick

Sketch.png Link to User suggestions and Early draft

Sketch.png Link to Notes on State=Selected vs. State=Active in MRML


Working problem: CTSC: Facilitating Tumor Analysis Workflow in Slicer

Contributors: Ron Kikinis, Jeff Yapp, Randy Gollub, Wendy Plesniak

Goals: Perform the following analyses in Slicer and create presentation & tutorial materials

  • A. Single Volumetric Dataset Basic Volumetric Measurements for Tumor Assessement
    • Linear
    • Volumetric
  • B. Dynamic Volumetric Data Visualize & Analyze Perfusion Data
    • Define ROI
    • Interactive Plot of Contrast Dilution as Function of Time
    • Measure Peak (first priority) & Transit (second priority) times in Blood Pool & Tumor
    • Save timepoints
      • Intensity(t) for ROI1
      • Intensity(t) for ROI2
  • C. PET Dataset Basic Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) Analysis
    • Segment Tumor by Hand (ROI or VOI, circle or sphere will work)
    • Normalize by SUV (use maximum value)
    • Extract Parameters:
      • For single tumor: SUVmax_Baseline, SUVmax_Timepoint, %change
      • For multi tumor: SUM(SUVmax_Baseline) - SUM(SUVmax_Timepoint), %change
  • D. Visualization Requirements Displaying Static, Dynamic and PET data
  • E. Presentation Materials Powerpoint Slides for CTSA IRAT
    • Deadline: September (for October meeting)
      • Short slideset showing Slicer overview & BC tumor analysis
    • Deadline: November (for RSNA in December)
      • Full slidesets including Basic Training and Specific hands-on BC tumor analysis

Tutorial slides currently under development


Sketch.png Link to info for A. Volumetric Analysis

Sketch.png Link to info for B. Dynamic analysis

Sketch.png Link to info for C. PET Analysis

Working problem: Customizable layouts for Slicer3

Instead of a finite set of layout options, we would like to provide users the ability to select among a richer set of layouts, some created to be appropriate for analyzing certain kinds of studies, and the ability to customize their application layout as well. We have begun working on ideas at the NA-MIC January 2009 AHM.

Contributors: Jim Miller, Steve Pieper, Ron Kikinis, Julien Finet, Jean Christophe Fillion-Robin, Wendy Plesniak

Sketch.png Link to first draft of user experience design

Sketch.png Link to second draft of user experience design

Sketch.png Link to tabbed-slicer layout

Sketch.png Link to first ideas about layout architecture

Working problem: Slicer3 workflow for Tractography: usability issues, design & planning

Working with Dr. Jean-Jacques Lemaire, we are understanding the use of Slicer in a complicated tractography analysis, within the context of a particular workflow. This work is identifying usability issues, software bugs, and ideas for improvement. These pages are a touchstone for the project.

Contributors: Jean-Jacques Lemaire, Nicole Aucoin, Wendy Plesniak, Steve Pieper, Alex Yarmarkovich, Andriy Fedorov, Haiying Liu

General issues, comments and feature requests

Sketch.png Link to Organization of Presentation Layer

Sketch.png Link to Naming conventions

Workflow overview and details on sub-steps

Below is a rough outline of the tractography analysis workflow currently in use (pending a proofreading check by J-J). The workflow can be broken down into general stages:

  • setting up: including loading and saving and adjusting data display properties
  • registration of target dataset to a reference dataset
  • exploratory and analytic tractography

DTIworkflowOverview.png

(if the figure should be corrected, please let me know how to fix -- maybe deformation should be part of the registration step).Data loading happens up front, but data and the scene may be saved frequently throught the workflow. Highlighted are some areas where serious usability issues have been flagged.

A plan to address these issues will be discussed on Dec 29/30 2008 at the next Slicer Developers meeting. Notes from that meeting and a proposed development plan will be posted here.

The sections below contain collected comments and suggestions for all workflow stages: Setting up, Registration, and Tractography. Markers on the figures indicate places where problems are reported.


DTIworkflowSetup.png

Sketch.png Link to Comments on Data/Scene Loading

Sketch.png Link to Comments on Saving

Sketch.png Link to Comments on Quality check & Deformation (Pre-registration)

Sketch.png Link to Comments on Registration

DTIworkflowRegistration.png

Sketch.png Link to Comments on Tractography

DTIworkflowTractography.png


Working problem: Welcome Module for Slicer3.4 release

Sketch.png Link to Mockup

Sketch.png Link to First Draft Implementation

Sketch.png Link to Second Draft Implementation


Working problem: Design revision on Fiducials GUI for Slicer3.4 release

Sketch.png Link to Draft1

Sketch.png Link to Draft2

Sketch.png Link to Draft3

Working problem: Module Management Wizard Interface & Interaction Design Storyboard

This wizard allows users to uninstall modules from their current build or to download and install new modules. Currently working on a usable design. Storyboard roughed out during IGT project week Dec8-12 '08, (Terry Lorber, Steve Pieper, Wendy Plesniak)

Sketch.png Link to Draft 1

Sketch.png Link to Draft 2 (not yet ready)


Working problem: Consolidating Load functionality

Functionality to load data is spread all over the application... we want to begin consolidating it in some simple fashion and to gradually implement a more integrated and appropriate solution.

Sketch.png Link to Draft 1


Working problem: Save Data Widget

Sketch.png Link to Draft 1 and notes

Sketch.png Link to Draft 2 and notes

Sketch.png Link to Draft 3 and notes

Sketch.png Link to Draft 4 and notes

Sketch.png Link to Draft 5 and notes


Working problem: Slicer & XNAT Informatics

Sketch.png Link to Fetch Medical Informatics (FetchMI) implementation 1 notes

Sketch.png Link to Fetch Medical Informatics (FetchMI) and RemoteIO profiling/refining notes

Sketch.png Link to CTSC Use-case: Grant & Pienaar at Children's Hospital Boston

Sketch.png Link to CTSC Use-case: Brad Dickerson at Mass General NMR

Sketch.png Link to CTSC Use-case: Warfield & Weisen at Children's

Sketch.png Link to CTSC Use-case: Managing Image Guided Therapy (NCIGT) Restrospective Data at Brigham & Women's Hospital

Sketch.png Link to FetchMI XNE extension planning (work with Curtis Lisle)


Working problem: Scene Snapshot Interface

Sketch.png Link to Scene Snapshot UI Design


Working problem: Application-wide support for ROI definition

GOALS:

  • determine relationships between label maps, implicit regions (spheres, circles, ellipses), and vector-format region definitions.
  • determine what kinds of ROIs we will allow users to create/edit at application level
  • determine how to expose ROI functionality application-wide (without "wormholing" to an ROI module)
  • provide tools for defining, editing ROIs
  • provide tools for converting ROIs into label maps (?)
  • provide good mouse+hotkey design
  • generalize implementation to eventually accommodate DICOM-format ROIs
  • determine relationship between fiducial lists and ROIs (from implementation pov).

Sketch.png Link to Draft ROI design

Sketch.png Link to Interface & interaction design drafted at June NA-MIC Project Week

Sketch.png Link to Earlier notes from Editor module usability sessions


Working problem: Consistent checkbuttons and radiobuttons across platforms (Issue Resolved)

GOALS

Currently, radiobutton and checkbutton indicators display their state differently on different platforms Slicer supports. For instance, visually similar indicators on linux and windows actually represent different states. This can be confusing for people who work on both platforms. So instead of using the default Tk bitmaps for the indicators, we are proposing to use our own image data which will display the same on all platforms.

  • develop a custom slicer widget as an extension of vtkKWCheckButton
  • disambiguate current "deslected" radiobutton icon state -- it can be read as "disabled"
  • override method for turning the old indicator visible/invisible (always keep it off)
  • develop visually parseable convention for icons to represent:
    • selected
    • deselected
    • disabled
  • use methods SetImageToIcon and SetSelectImageToIcon to display selected/deselected icons, selected/deselected icons+indicators
  • provide blank icons with and without indicators for people to download.

Sketch.png Link to Radio and check button tests


Working problem: Navigating with fiducials (Issue resolved: implemented in Editor module and Edit Box)

GOALS:

  • use fiducials as markers for features of interest
  • allow navigation to fiducial points within a slice window and
  • allow navigation to same fiducial point in all slice windows (a feature we're calling 'jumpslice').
  • want to read-out which fiducial is currently being viewed while navigating
  • want to expose these features in top level in each slice controller widget
  • want also to keep the slice scrollbar from getting too small to use.
  • want to indicate which slice scrollbar direction is R,L, S,I, A,P, depending on orientation


Sketch.png Link to Fiducial navigation UI design sketches


Working problem: Cine display for viewing and analyzing multi-volume data in Slicer3

Sketch.png Link to Drafts of UI for Cine Display


Working problem: Linked controls in Slicer3

Goals

Slice viewing can operate in the context of a single slice reformation or in a linked state where multiple slice viewers respond to interactions with any slice viewer. When Slice Viewers are linked, a number of viewing geometry and view representation parameters are linked across viewers.

Sketch.png Link to Drafts of UI for Linked Controls


Background: Slicer 3.2 usability & ideas for Slicer 3.3

Some Embodiment History


Return to Slicer3 Interface Design and Usability

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