Power Management ControlsProject Update, August 2001

Bruce NordmanLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

BNordman@LBL.govhttp://eetd.LBL.gov/Controls

sponsor: California Energy CommissionPublic Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Overview• Recap of May, 2000 / Project Background• Activities / Results Since

– Professional Advisory Committee, Institutional Review, Updated Project Plan, Device Assessment, User Interface Literature, Tentative Recommendations

• Next Steps• Questions / Comments

Power Management Controls and Indicators

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SynopsisGoal:

To save energy, increase enabling rates of existing power management capability in office equipment.

Method: Make power management more consistent and intuitive to users across all office equipment (via a voluntary standard).

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Standard PM Interface Elements

• Terms• Symbols/Icons • Indicators• Operating Metaphors

Scope: Office Equipment (& Consumer Electronics)

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Institutional Review“Who is Involved in Power Management Controls”

• Standards / Standards Committees (ISO/IEC)– Graphical Symbols for Use on Equipment– Indicator Lights– Others

• Labeling Programs (e.g. ENERGY STAR)• Trade Associations (e.g. ITIC)• Manufacturers• Technology Initiatives / Protocols

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Professional Advisory Committee (PAC)

Provides project with Guidance, Review, Credibility

• Compaq• Hewlett-Packard• IBM• Intel• Microsoft• Ricoh

• Samsung• Sony• Sun

• ITIC• ENERGY STAR

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Topics: High Priority, #1• Basic symbols and switches & buttons• Basic indicators• Changing power states• Transition indicators • Underlying archetype of power management

behavior, including basic terms

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Topics: High Priority, #2• Controlled and controlling devices

• Remote indicators and controls

• Composite devices and diversity of low-power modes

• Power management ‘schemes’

• Behavior based on wake event type

• Linked behavior

• Interactions with non-power modes

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Topics: Medium / Low Priority

• Disability• Culture• Temporary changes• System status after power

failure• Terminology• Miscellaneous

• Language• Batteries• Role of the term

“ENERGY STAR”• Self-monitoring

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Literature Insights• Project Rationale• Existing Designs• Approach• Design Principles• Metaphor• Modes

General UI Lit. — not specific to power controls

• Interactions / Transitions

• Indicator Lights• Icons• Norman / Macintosh

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Initial Recommendations• Three basic power states: On, Off, Sleep

• “Power” term (switch / indicator)

• Change the international standard symbols for on/off, standby, and sleep

• Green / Amber / Off for power indicators

• Sleep metaphor (and moon)

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Three Basic States

On, Off, Sleep

• Within a state, device has consistent capability, behavior (e.g. state change)

• May have more states, but all mapped into forms of the basic three

• “Hibernate” problematic, but tentatively a form of Off

Power Management Controls and Indicators

The Term “Power”• For indicators, switches/buttons

• Need standard translation

• Possible “international word” (voice)

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Power Symbols• Drop as a symbol.

• Change meaning of from “Standby” to “Power”

• and too similar.

• Recommendation is most consistent with current usage on products.

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Indicators• Use Green / Amber / Off for On / Sleep / Off

• Blinking only for transitions or non-power meanings

• Possible standard (optional) audio indications

• Cyberspace?

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Sleep - Metaphor and Symbol

• “Sleep” is most compelling metaphor, and has clear extensions (e.g. “waking up”).

• is already common and seems clear

Power Management Controls and Indicators

PC Sample State Diagram

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Next Steps• More devices

• Other topics

• Outreach, esp. designers

• Testing

Power Management Controls and Indicators

Questions / Comments• Process

• Recommendations