UI Controls for Rich Applications

In January 2009, we posted an article on the 30 Essential Controls for Rich Application design. The article was incredibly popular since it also discussed which RIA frameworks/toolkits/libraries offer each control. We will be posting a new version of the article later this month on UX Booth.

In the mean time, check out the new Control Matrix- 42 controls across 25 libraries, toolkits and frameworks like: Flex, Ext JS, jQuery, Dojo, MooTools, Google Web toolkit, YUI! 2 & 3, Telerik for .net and Silverlight, Open Laszlo and more. You can use iWork to comment on the spreadsheet if you have feedback or corrections. There is also a download button at the top of the screen (next to the printer) if you want to download the matrix.

And here are the bookmarks for the 20+ demo galleries.

And download our RIA Pattern Flipbook prototype. All you need is:

• a printer
• Avery 3381 Postcards/Index Cards
• a hole punch
• a wire ring/clip, at least as big around as a quarter

I print a page, then flip it and print the back. The back of each card has an example from alive application.

Then I punch a hole in the top left corner of each card and pull them all on the ring. This is quite useful to keep on your desk or take into design meetings for reference and inspiration. We used them in our workshop on Designing Rich Applications at Øredev in Malmo, Sweden yesterday.