= Some ideas on a possible Graphical User Interface for version 2.2 =

The idea is to have a simplified search interface that leaves more space to customized content (particular for the organization running the !GeoNetwork based website).

Using AJAX a more responsive interface could be generated that gives access to a simple and an extended search interface. 

The site could behave as follows:

By default:
 * A user provides some criteria to search
 * Search results are displayed directly on the same page, replacing the main content but still showing the search form in the left column.
 * The user can directly refine the search, re-order the results, download data or visualize map services by adding them to the overview map.
 * The user can read the full metadata of a record (again in the same page)
 * The user can switch the map view to become a large map that displays the content of the small (search-)map. The small map can now function as the overview map.

|| [[Image(Home-page-simple_180.gif, nolink)]] || [[Image(Home-page-simple-results_180.gif, nolink)]] || [[Image(mock-up-GN-2-1-map_180.gif, nolink)]] ||
|| [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-simple_400.gif 400x300] [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-simple.gif 1024x768]||[http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-simple-results_400.gif 400x300] [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-simple-results.gif 1024x768]||[http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/mock-up-GN-2-1-map_400.gif 400x300] [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/mock-up-GN-2-1-map_800.gif 800x600]||

Using the advanced search options:
 * A user provides some search criteria (What, Where, When and from Who?)
 * Search results are displayed directly on the same page, below the search options.
 * All the rest is the same as with the default view.

|| [[Image(Home-page-advanced_180.gif, nolink)]] || [[Image(Home-page-advanced-results_180.gif, nolink)]] || 
|| [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-advanced_400.gif 400x300] [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-advanced.gif 1024x768]||[http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-advanced-results_400.gif 400x300] [http://trac.osgeo.org/geonetwork/attachment/wiki/GUI_2_2/Home-page-advanced-results.gif 1024x768]||

Some short comings in the mock-ups:
 * Optimal switching to large map and vice-versa is to be defined
 * The "Who" search criteria may need more options than only the Catalog option at the bottom
 * GUI for large map interface to be improved

Additional thoughts:
 * The large map may visually be folded up (horizontal or vertical)
 * When switching to large map view, the small map will become the overview map. It may be useful to at that point only use light reference layers in that map.