General:
1) use icons. For example metal should have 1 icon and this used consistently across gui, to display metal income, unit cost etc.
2) use tooltips. Put helpfull information into tooltips, including keyboard shortcuts.
3) gui must look consistent -> all widgets created using chili and using same visual style and control methods.
4) don't reinvent wheel. If something works in 99/100 games, it will work in CA too (like escape to bring up main menu)
5) gui consists of 3 general types of "windows".
"Static" - permanent parts of gui, like resource bar. Moveable but must avoid accidentaly moving it - so grips for move and resize and docking/sticking to other windows and borders.
"Dialogs" - are transient windows, typically main menu. If they are moveable they can be dragged by whole window. Escape cancels them.
"Other" - typically tooltips or special parts of other gui elements.
Elements:
1) minimap - should allow resizing. Should have option to maintain aspect ratio. Possibly side buttons for team colored units, show orders.
2) console - almost done. Needs special box for entering text instead of current one. Its options should be all moved into settings imo ("a","p","s" checkboxes not needed)
3) resbars - mostly done now. Basic version should show just storage level + numbers for income and spending and warning icons. It should have button to expand it to advanced mode displaying income and expenses in detail.
Tooltips should show numeric details and explanation - legend with images.
Resbars should warn about typical problems (visual + audio).
4) buildbar - buildbar is existing widget that shows factories and allows you to control production in those. This widget should be adapted for chili, modified to allow displaying list in 2 lines for easier readability, modified to select factory when you click its icon and changed to order by factory type.
Each factory type could be bound to some default key - like alt+k select kbot lab.
5) buildmenu - this is replacement for building options for workers. It shoudl work similar like buildbar. When you select worker, category icons appear on left.
If you click category, it opens and you see list of options in that category.
You can open several categories at once and keep them opened.
Each category also has some key - like alt+e - economic structures.
Buildmenu should be placed under or above buildbar because its conceptually similar.
Special hotkey (preferably space) expands all categories in buildmenu as well as all buildbar factories for quick access. Pressing space again or left clicking anywhere outside those menus closes them.
6) commandmenu - this is replacement for default spring command menu.
Commands should be sorted, orders visually (new line) separated from switches etc. Switches (roaming, hold pos, ..) replaced with smaller icons. Special actions (jump,sprint,..) bound to some default key.
7) selection icons - improved selection icons. Should hint about auto grouping/allow easy management of auto groups from there. Should come with overal information about selection - displaying either unit tooltip (if only 1 unit is selected), or overal selection stats (if multiple units selected) - like total HP, buildpower etc.

This is the key part of new interface. Tooltips should be available anywhere on demand. They should be visually rich and at least for gui elements appear where your moouse is, instead in predefined spot on the screen.
So for example for buildbar, tooltip for unit appears instantly, displaying basic unit information and keyboard shortcus related to queuing in factory buildbar.
Key (preferably F1, atm space), displays tooltip instantly even for stuff you see in game - like units. F1 + click displays even more detailed information (unit help).
9) main menu - appears when you press escape or f10.
Allows general game settings (video, sound) and game actions (resign). All CA widgets are controlable form here. So instead of doing F11 -> transportAI to disable it, you will see small checkbox in correct settings category saying: "auto transport units from factories to their destination".
10) player list- should work like advanced playr list. Player specific action integrated with it (ally in FFA, camera lock)
11) buildpower/idle workers (optional) - this element should display simple overview of your buildpower capacities and allow you to pick next idle worker, closest worker etc. Those actions should be bound to keys used in normal games - like "."
12) build projects list (optional) - this is visual list of current construction projects (non factory, because factory units are already covered by buildbar). Each should display % completion and eta. Clicking on it should select construction project.
This thing already exists in IceUI.
Current status
0) support:
- chili framework: developed by jK.
- overal visual style: someone must prepare overal visual concepts
assigned to: Vintage, consult with jK
1) minimap: not started
unassigned
2) console: needs polishing
assigned to: Licho, CarRepairer
3) resbar: needs better tooltips, warnings and switch between advanced and easy mode.
assigned to: Licho, need contributions in the form of icons and sounds
4) buildbar: optionally convert to chili. Needs category backgrounds. Developed by jK originally.
5) buildmenu: needs to be created or adapted from nestedbuildmenu (evil4zerg) to chili framework
unassigned
6) commandmenu: not started
unassigned
7) selection icons: must be converted for chili. Needs selection info display.
unassigned
8 ) tooltip: partially done. Needs icons, tweaking, some standardization. Other chili widgets must then generate proper tooltips.
assigned to CarRepairer
9) main menu: content mostly done. Needs treeview display, needs better categorization
assigned to CarRepairer
10) player list: we have advanced player list. This should be modified for integration and possibly changed to work like other chili windows.
assigned to SomeRandomGuy
11) build power dispaly: nothing yet
unassigned
12) build projects: could be created by adapting IceUI
unassigned
Current wishlist
- window docking/sticking system for chili
- treeview control for chili
- icons for the gui (probably needs overal style design first)
- warning sounds for resbar
- help with any of the gui elements