Grouped Tab Scroller
A simple conceptual design to improve
tabbed browsing experience
Wayne Lee, June 2009
http://trilancer.wordpress.com/

251 Tab add-ons for Firefox so far
From full-featured controller to tiny improvements or customization
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:1/cat:93

Tabbed Browsing Experience
Becoming More & More Complex
Multiple thumbnail options
Tons on-spot commands Lots settings

How Many Tabs
Can a Browser Hold?
Hint: check out Mac OS Exposé

100+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13877151@N05/1412839227/sizes/l/

300+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theredpower/3303342401/sizes/l/

600+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80246871@N00/1871392949/sizes/l/

1000+
The Ultimate Tab Manager?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremiahkellogg/2227228613/sizes/o/

How Many Tabs
Can A Human Brain Hold?
… plus commands & options?

Introducing Grouped Tab Scroller (GTS)
Bring the simple & familiar
Previous scroller control paradigm Next
Tab to tab navigation Tab

Tabs Organized into Groups
With Color as Assistant Indicator
Tabs grouped according
to relevance: domain, title,
linkage … (configurable)

View Tab Thumbs in a Group
Removing Irrelevant Tab Thumbs  Emphasizing Current Group

Scroll through Groups
Switching Context Made Easy

Jump to Tab in Another Group

Jump to Another Tab Group

Further Features
For Power User
Group Re-ordering
Slice Group to Make a New Window

What if I got too many tabs / groups?
Probably 0 satisfactory answer if you got 1000 tabs
Tentative Answer to More Tabs in a Group:
“Use mouse wheel to scroll back & forth within tab area”
Tentative Answer to More Groups:
“2-level drop down menu to pick group then tab”

Takeaway
• Usability of GTS (fewer tabs & groups)
– Efficiency
– Effectiveness
– Satisfaction
• Usability under more tabs & groups
– Effectiveness & Efficiency WILL drop for sure

No matter how cool your user interface,
less would be better
Alan Cooper

Resources
• Live Demo
– http://www.trilancer.com/tab/
• Video:
– http://www.vimeo.com/5246129
• Discussion:
– http://trilancer.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/gts-
grouped-tab-scroller/