Milestone Bar Pattern

Interface patterns give you an opportunity to explore different interface designs. Be sure to check out How to Adapt a Pattern for Your Application.

Goal

Use the milestone bar pattern to guide users through sequential steps to complete a task and show the user their progress as they move through the steps. This pattern can be used to either break up longer forms into more manageable sections or combine smaller forms into a more streamlined process. This page explains how you can use this pattern in your interface, and walks through the design structure in detail.

screenshot of a milestone bar with 4 milestone steps

Design structure

The main interface components in this pattern are columns layouts, card layouts, side by side layouts, and styled texts and icons.

This pattern also relies on a few functions to create the interactive milestones; including a forEach function, an if function, a dynamic link, and a choose function.

You can examine the entire expression or jump down to the subsections below with referenced line numbers to see a detailed breakdown of the main components and functions.

Pattern expression

The milestone bar pattern introduces a 254-line expression to the interface.

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{
  a!localVariables(
    /* List of steps in the milestone bar */
    local!milestoneBarSteps: {"Review Cart", "Provide Shipping", "Provide Billing", "Confirm Order"},
    local!currentMilestoneBarStep: 2,
    {
      a!columnsLayout(
        columns: {
          a!forEach(
            items: local!milestoneBarSteps,
            expression: if(
              /* Completed step */
              fv!index < local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
              a!columnLayout(
                contents: {
                  a!cardLayout(
                    contents: {
                      a!sideBySideLayout(
                        items: {
                          a!sideBySideItem(
                            item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                              labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                              value: {
                                a!richTextItem(
                                  text: {
                                    a!richTextIcon(
                                      icon: "check",
                                      altText: "Completed step"
                                    )
                                  },
                                  size: "MEDIUM",
                                  style: "STRONG"
                                )
                              },
                              align: "CENTER"
                            ),
                            width: "MINIMIZE"
                          ),
                          a!sideBySideItem(
                            item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                              labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                              value: {
                                a!richTextItem(
                                  text: upper(fv!item),
                                  size: "MEDIUM"
                                )
                              },
                              align: "LEFT"
                            )
                          )
                        }
                      )
                    },
                    /* Link to go to selected step */
                    link: a!dynamicLink(
                      value: fv!index,
                      saveInto: local!currentMilestoneBarStep
                    ),
                    style: "ACCENT",
                    showBorder: false,
                    accessibilityText: "Completed step. Press space to view step."
                  )
                }
              ),
              if(
                /* Future step */
                fv!index > local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
                a!columnLayout(
                  contents: {
                    a!cardLayout(
                      contents: {
                        a!sideBySideLayout(
                          items: {
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: fv!index,
                                    size: "MEDIUM",
                                    style:"STRONG"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "CENTER"
                              ),
                              width: "MINIMIZE"
                            ),
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: upper(fv!item),
                                    size: "MEDIUM"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "LEFT"
                              )
                            )
                          }
                        )
                      },
                      style: "#efefef",
                      height: "AUTO",
                      marginBelow: "NONE",
                      showBorder: false,
                      accessibilityText: "Future step"
                    )
                  }
                ),
                /* Current step */
                a!columnLayout(
                  contents: {
                    a!cardLayout(
                      contents: {
                        a!sideBySideLayout(
                          items: {
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: {
                                      a!richTextIcon(
                                        icon: "hand-o-right",
                                        altText: "Current step",
                                        size: "MEDIUM"
                                      )
                                    },
                                    size: "MEDIUM",
                                    style: "STRONG"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "CENTER"
                              ),
                              width: "MINIMIZE"
                            ),
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: upper(fv!item),
                                    size: "MEDIUM",
                                    style: "STRONG"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "LEFT"
                              )
                            )
                          }
                        )
                      },
                      style: "ACCENT",
                      showBorder: false,
                      accessibilityText: "Current step"
                    )
                  }
                )
              )
            )
          )
        },
        spacing: "DENSE",
        stackWhen: {"PHONE","TABLET_PORTRAIT"}
      ),
      choose(
        local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the first step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        },
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the second step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        },
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the third step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        },
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the fourth step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        }
      ),
      a!columnsLayout(
        columns: {
          a!columnLayout(
            contents: {
              a!buttonArrayLayout(
                buttons: {
                  a!buttonWidget(
                    label: "Back",
                    value: local!currentMilestoneBarStep - 1,
                    saveInto: local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
                    style: "NORMAL",
                    showWhen: local!currentMilestoneBarStep > 1
                  ),
                  a!buttonWidget(
                    label: "Cancel",
                    style: if(
                      local!currentMilestoneBarStep = 1,
                      "NORMAL",
                      "LINK"
                    )
                  )
                },
                align: "START"
              )
            }
          ),
          a!columnLayout(
            contents: {
              a!buttonArrayLayout(
                buttons: a!buttonWidget(
                  label: if(
                    local!currentMilestoneBarStep = length(local!milestoneBarSteps),
                    "Submit",
                    "Next"
                  ),
                  saveInto: if(
                    local!currentMilestoneBarStep = length(local!milestoneBarSteps),
                    {},
                    a!save(
                      local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
                      local!currentMilestoneBarStep + 1
                    )
                  ),
                  style: "PRIMARY"
                )
              )
            }
          )
        }
      )
    }
  )
}

[Line 1-5] Set local variables

At the beginning of the expression, two local variables are set up: local!milestoneBarSteps, which provides the titles for the four steps in the milestone and local!currentMilestoneBarStep, which stores the current step that the user is on. This pattern has the user starting on the second step in the milestone bar. This is done to show that the user can return to a previous step using the Back button.

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{
  a!localVariables(
    /* List of steps in the milestone bar */
    local!milestoneBarSteps: {"Review Cart", "Provide Shipping", "Provide Billing", "Confirm Order"},
    local!currentMilestoneBarStep: 2,

[Line 6-166] Define milestone steps

This section creates each step in the milestone bar using a!forEach(), if(), styled texts and styled icons, and a dynamic link. Each step in the milestone bar is constructed with a column layout that contains a card with the title and icon for the step within a side by side layout. The expression that constructs each step is iterated through using a!forEach() [lines 9-162].

The style of the card layout, the boldness of the text, and the icon change as you move through the steps:

  • Current step [lines 111-159]: the text is bold or "STRONG", the card style is "ACCENT", and the icon is a pointing hand.
  • Previous steps [lines 12-64]: the text is normal, the card style is "ACCENT", and the icon is a check mark.
  • Future steps [lines 66-110]: the text is normal, the card style is light gray, and there is a number in place of an icon.

Two nested if() functions are used in conjunction with local!currentMilestoneBarStep to determine whether each step is a previous, future, or current step and display the behavior accordingly. This is done by using a dynamic link within the card layout of the Current step to save the step's number into local!currentMilestoneBarStep.

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    {
      a!columnsLayout(
        columns: {
          a!forEach(
            items: local!milestoneBarSteps,
            expression: if(
              /* Completed step */
              fv!index < local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
              a!columnLayout(
                contents: {
                  a!cardLayout(
                    contents: {
                      a!sideBySideLayout(
                        items: {
                          a!sideBySideItem(
                            item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                              labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                              value: {
                                a!richTextItem(
                                  text: {
                                    a!richTextIcon(
                                      icon: "check",
                                      altText: "Completed step"
                                    )
                                  },
                                  size: "MEDIUM",
                                  style: "STRONG"
                                )
                              },
                              align: "CENTER"
                            ),
                            width: "MINIMIZE"
                          ),
                          a!sideBySideItem(
                            item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                              labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                              value: {
                                a!richTextItem(
                                  text: upper(fv!item),
                                  size: "MEDIUM"
                                )
                              },
                              align: "LEFT"
                            )
                          )
                        }
                      )
                    },
                    /* Link to go to selected step */
                    link: a!dynamicLink(
                      value: fv!index,
                      saveInto: local!currentMilestoneBarStep
                    ),
                    style: "ACCENT",
                    showBorder: false,
                    accessibilityText: "Completed step. Press space to view step."
                  )
                }
              ),
              if(
                /* Future step */
                fv!index > local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
                a!columnLayout(
                  contents: {
                    a!cardLayout(
                      contents: {
                        a!sideBySideLayout(
                          items: {
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: fv!index,
                                    size: "MEDIUM",
                                    style:"STRONG"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "CENTER"
                              ),
                              width: "MINIMIZE"
                            ),
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: upper(fv!item),
                                    size: "MEDIUM"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "LEFT"
                              )
                            )
                          }
                        )
                      },
                      style: "#efefef",
                      height: "AUTO",
                      marginBelow: "NONE",
                      showBorder: false,
                      accessibilityText: "Future step"
                    )
                  }
                ),
                /* Current step */
                a!columnLayout(
                  contents: {
                    a!cardLayout(
                      contents: {
                        a!sideBySideLayout(
                          items: {
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: {
                                      a!richTextIcon(
                                        icon: "hand-o-right",
                                        altText: "Current step",
                                        size: "MEDIUM"
                                      )
                                    },
                                    size: "MEDIUM",
                                    style: "STRONG"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "CENTER"
                              ),
                              width: "MINIMIZE"
                            ),
                            a!sideBySideItem(
                              item: a!richTextDisplayField(
                                labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
                                value: {
                                  a!richTextItem(
                                    text: upper(fv!item),
                                    size: "MEDIUM",
                                    style: "STRONG"
                                  )
                                },
                                align: "LEFT"
                              )
                            )
                          }
                        )
                      },
                      style: "ACCENT",
                      showBorder: false,
                      accessibilityText: "Current step"
                    )
                  }
                )
              )
            )
          )
        },
        spacing: "DENSE",
        stackWhen: {"PHONE","TABLET_PORTRAIT"}
      ),

[Line 167-201] Define current step behavior

This section uses choose() and rich text to configure what will display for each step when it is the current step. The choose function works with local!currentMilestoneBarStep to determine which step's message to show. Currently there is a placeholder message in styled text, however you can replace this with the component that you want to display for each milestone.

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choose(
        local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the first step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        },
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the second step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        },
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the third step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        },
        {
          /* Replace this rich text with the component or rule that should populate this step */
          a!richTextDisplayField(
            labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
            value: {a!richTextItem(text: "The contents of the fourth step belong here", style: "EMPHASIS")},
            align: "CENTER"
          )
        }
      ),

[Line 202-254] Define navigation buttons

The last section contains columns with buttons that allow users to go back to the previous step, to cancel their progress, or move to the next step. Once the user has made it to the final milestone, the label on the Next button changes to Submit and acts as a submit button.

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a!columnsLayout(
        columns: {
          a!columnLayout(
            contents: {
              a!buttonArrayLayout(
                buttons: {
                  a!buttonWidget(
                    label: "Back",
                    value: local!currentMilestoneBarStep - 1,
                    saveInto: local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
                    style: "NORMAL",
                    showWhen: local!currentMilestoneBarStep > 1
                  ),
                  a!buttonWidget(
                    label: "Cancel",
                    style: if(
                      local!currentMilestoneBarStep = 1,
                      "NORMAL",
                      "LINK"
                    )
                  )
                },
                align: "START"
              )
            }
          ),
          a!columnLayout(
            contents: {
              a!buttonArrayLayout(
                buttons: a!buttonWidget(
                  label: if(
                    local!currentMilestoneBarStep = length(local!milestoneBarSteps),
                    "Submit",
                    "Next"
                  ),
                  saveInto: if(
                    local!currentMilestoneBarStep = length(local!milestoneBarSteps),
                    {},
                    a!save(
                      local!currentMilestoneBarStep,
                      local!currentMilestoneBarStep + 1
                    )
                  ),
                  style: "PRIMARY"
                )
              )
            }
          )
        }
      )
    }
  )
}
Open in Github Built: Thu, Feb 23, 2023 (02:59:22 PM)

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