The history of screen design has undergone significant changes, particularly from the 1970s onward. In the early 1970s, IBM’s introduction of the 3270 cathode ray tube text-based terminal marked a turning point, sparking interest in applying good design principles to screens.
During this era, screens were quite complex, featuring numerous fields with cryptic and confusing captions. The visual clutter made it challenging for users, and command fields often required users to memorize specific inputs.
By 1980-1981, guidelines for text-based screen design, introduced by Galitz, became widely available. Concepts like grouping and alignment of elements helped simplify screens, offering a less cluttered appearance. User memory was aided by clear field captions and on-screen command listings, accessible through function keys. Despite improvements, screens still included prompts and completion aids.
In the 1980s, both old and new screen designs coexisted. However, the entry field saw the addition of various controls like list boxes, drop-down combination boxes, and spin boxes.
The 1990s witnessed a further expansion of knowledge regarding effective screen design, coupled with advancing technology. This led to even greater improvements in the user-computer screen interface. Despite the progress, remnants of 1970s-style screens persisted in some systems.