Synopsis of Windows XP Guidelines

Description of Microsoft® Windows® XP Guidelines for the Tablet PC.

Users prefer consistency in what they have learned. Tablet PC customers are expected to use their tablets as their primary computing device and run a variety of Windows applications. Users become confused about the appropriate ways to use the pen in different applications within Windows if the behaviors are not consistent. For example, in the note taking application, to select an ink word, users tap it. However, in Microsoft Word, users must double-tap a word to select it. These inconsistencies interfere with the user's ability to use a Tablet PC efficiently.

Keep the interface behaviors in your application consistent with Windows. Users spend more time using Windows to interact with Tablet PC than they do using pen-based applications. If innovation interferes with common, familiar behaviors, users cannot easily adapt to it.