Large information spaces are often difficult to access efficiently and intuitively. We are exploring Pad++, a graphical interface system based on zooming, as an alternative to traditional window and icon-based approaches. Objects can be placed in the graphical workspace at any size, and zooming is the fundamental navigational technique. The goal is to provide simple methods for visually navigating complex information spaces that ease the burden of locating information while maintaining an intuitive sense of location and of relationship between information objects.
Benjamin B. Bederson, James D. Hollan