Systems and methods are provided for navigating a graphical user interface, or GUI. A list may be invoked by a keyboard shortcut within an integrated development environment, or IDE, for software development wherein there are a number of items such as open files and development tools between which a user must navigate. The list appears in a navigation dialog that comprises the items such as open files, tool windows sorted in a most recently used, or MRU, order, and navigation of abstract views into the data. The list may be invoked by the user from the keyboard by pressing the "Ctrl-Tab" keys, for example, and holding down the "Ctrl" key. Once invoked, the user may navigate the list to select an item to open by using the arrow keys for, example, on the keyboard or pressing the "Tab" key again, for example, while holding down the key used to initially invoke the navigation dialog. Once the user selects the desired item, the navigation dialog may be dismissed by releasing the key used to invoke it.