A control panel unit for a computing device includes buttons having characteristics
that define individual button states. Upon actuation of a button, the viewable
states of the buttons may change. A portion of the button may be illuminated to
represent the state and/or include an icon depicting an application controlled
by the button. The control panel unit may include a display for displaying plural
soft labels corresponding to the buttons and representing the current context that
will be initiated when the corresponding button is actuated. The soft labels may
identify users or applications available to one user. Upon actuation of an application,
the soft labels can change to represent various actions or functions available
in the application. In the user interface, each user may be assigned a specific
color scheme. The color schemes allow a person to visually determine who is logged
into the system and/or which individual has new information.
