The GTS concept is my entry to the Mozilla Labs Design Challenge Summer’09 – Reinventing Tabs in the Browser. It is designed to be a tiny and elegent alternative for enjoyable tabbed browsing.

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

2. 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

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

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

5. 100+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13877151@N05/1412839227/sizes/l/

6. 300+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theredpower/3303342401/sizes/l/

7. 600+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80246871@N00/1871392949/sizes/l/

8. 1000+
The Ultimate Tab Manager?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremiahkellogg/2227228613/sizes/o/

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

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

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

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

13. Scroll through Groups
Switching Context Made Easy

14. Jump to Tab in Another Group

15. Jump to Another Tab Group

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

17. 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”

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

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

20. 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/