Nielsen Norman Group

Evidence-Based User Experience Research, Training, and Consulting

Input Controls for Parameters: Balancing Exploration and

Precision with Sliders, Knobs, and Matrices
by PAGE LAUBHEIMER on May 14, 2017
Topics: Application Design Interaction Design

Summary: Linked controls support coarse and fine parameter selection and
ensure both ease of exploration and precision.

Numeric parameters are attributes of an object whose values are numbers. Examples
include product price and quantity on ecommerce sites or object transparency in photo-
editing applications.

Common interactive controls for numeric parameters range from text input fields,
sliders, virtual knobs that rotate, 2D matrices with editable curves, and steppers that
increment or decrement a given value. Each type of control is useful in different
circumstances and communicates information about the data being modified. Wherever
possible, there should be a natural mapping between the type of control and the data.
For example, a rotating virtual knob naturally corresponds to an angle parameter.
When the UI control communicates some information about the parameter it modifies,
the design adheres to one of the 10 usability heuristics match between system and
the real world.

Many applications and websites, particularly those used for creative pursuits or data
analysis, have long lists of parameters that allow for detailed adjustment of specific
attributes. With complex continuous parameters, a balance must be set between:
Exploration: allowing users to easily explore the effect of the control for the whole range of the
parameter, and

Precision: enabling the user to precisely choose a specific value.

Discrete vs. Continuous Controls

There are two major types of input controls:
Discrete controls offer a limited number of steps or options available. Examples include on/off
switches or checkboxes and radio buttons with a few, preselected options.