Introduction to BLAF Page Templates

Last Updated 19-Feb-2004

General Description


Page templates are a combination of components on a page that create a template. Each component within a template on a page may have customizable aspects to fit the needs of the individual application. This document describes basic elements of a page template.

Guideline Attributes


Spec Version # - 3.1
Spec Contributors - Betsy Nute
UI Models - all models
Example Products - all products
Related Guidelines - Introduction to BLAF Guidelines, Introduction to Page Flows, All Components

Interaction and Usage Specifications

General Principles of a BLAF Page Template

Object Centric Pages vs. Action Oriented Pages

BLAF Page Screen Layout: Use of Sections, Subsections, Subsubsections

BLAF Page Orientation: Vertical Scrolling vs. Horizontal Scrolling BLAF Page Screen Density: Light Information/Transactional Pages vs. Very Dense Information/Transactional Pages

Basic BLAF Page Template Shell

The general page template is comprised of common required components that should be used consistently throughout all pages in BLAF applications. Content within the general page template maybe customizable based on the specific guidelines to fit the needs of the application specific functionality and requirements. Below are the components that make up the basic BLAF Page template shell:

Specific Full Page Content that Forms a BLAF Page Template

Many applications across divisions not only share the common BLAF Page Template Shell, but also share common functionality and content that can be identified as a specific BLAF Page Template. For instance an Object List Template is the recommended layout for displaying a list of objects to a user (i.e., a list of purchase orders, list of customers, list of database tables, etc.). Within a given page template there may be several valid options; for instance, optional sections of information based on the application's functional requirements and the user's needs. The context within this template structure may also be different in some cases (i.e., one table shows purchase orders, one shows expense reports).


Specific Portions or Sections of Content that Form a BLAF Page Template

A BLAF page template may also be defined as just a portion of content on a page. The layout of the content may be prescribed, yet the context optional (i.e., a one column label/data layout versus a 2 column label/data layout) or both layout and context may be fixed (i.e., display of common information such as name, address, and phone number.) Examples of these types templates are:

Visual Specifications


For more information regarding BLAF Page templates, see:

Open/Closed Issues