A general list of basic options should be provided and always be available to serve as a 'home base' or consistent starting point for user input.
Additional Information:
Return to this starting point can be accomplished by an OPTIONS function key, or by an explicit option on every display, or by a generally available implicit option. Such a capability may be helpful even when all dialogue is user-initiated. It might be the general menu for a menu selection dialogue, or might be a standard starting point for composing command entries. However, a user should not be required to return to a display of general options in order to make an entry. If a user remembers option codes or commands, ideally those entries could be made from any point in a transaction sequence.