Best Practices & Principles for GUI design [closed]

Answer 1

I've read most of the above and one thing that I'm not seeing mentioned:

If users are meant to use the interface ONCE, showing only what they need to use if possible is great.

If the user interface is going to be used repeatedly by the same user, but maybe not very often, disabling controls is better than hiding them: the user interface changing and hidden features not being obvious (or remembered) by an occasional user is frustrating to the user.

If the user interface is going to be used VERY REGULARLY by the same user (and there is not a lot of turnover in the job i.e. not a lot of new users coming online all the time) disabling controls is absolutely helpful and the user will become accustomed to the reasons why things happen but preventing them from using controls accidentally in improper contexts appreciated and prevents errors.

Just my opinion, but it all goes back to understanding your user profile, not just what a single user session might entail.

Answer 2

I test my GUI against my grandma.

Answer 3

If you're doing anything for the web, or any front-facing software application for that matter, you really owe it to yourself to read...

Don't make me think - Steve Krug

Answer 4

Never ask "Are you sure?". Just allow unlimited, reliable undo/redo.

Answer 5

Try to think about what your user wants to achieve instead of what the requirements are.

The user will enter your system and use it to achieve a goal. When you open up calc you need to make a simple fast calculation 90% of the time so that's why by default it is set to simple mode.

So don't think about what the application must do but think about the user which will be doing it, probably bored, and try to design based on what his intentions are, try to make his life easier.

Answer 6

I try to adapt to the environment.

When developing for an Windows application, I use the Windows Vista User Experience Guidelines but when I'm developing an web application I use the appropriate guidelines, because I develop Dutch websites I use the "Drempelvrij" guidelines which are based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0) by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The reason I do this is to reduce the learning curve of a new user.