Good User Interfaces

Good user-interfaces are like good books: you understand, you can follow, they express common sense. Good documentation is not very much different, both should be well-structured and not self-repeating. Moreover a good user interface should be usable without having to read its documentation.

On the web you find a lot of quite different teachings about what makes up a good user interface. Not that I want to increase this confusion, I just want to summarize what of it I found useful, and mix it with my own experience. So (as the "10 things that ..." have become a web tradition:-) here come my ...

Seven (7) Things that Make Up Good User Interfaces

Simplicity: don't overburden users

The magical 7 ± 2 rule allows just a few fields per face
Faces are wrapped into titled groups, tabs, accordions, internal frames
Master-detail views allow to zoom into different faces
Wizards facilitate work-flows
Auto-complete filter fields are available on choosers with many items
Modal dialogs are used only when absolutely necessary

Consistency: words and symbols

The same thing should not have different names or icons in different contexts
Words come from the app's business, not from computer slang

Transparency: hints, progress, success and errors

Tooltips show more information about what some button will do
When the app works, users can see what is going on, and how long it will last
Also success is reported, not only errors
Error messages tell why it happened, and how to correct it

State Keeping: it is easy to come back

When restarting, the app shows the face it had on exit
On a desktop, the app has the same size and location
Recently loaded items are available for fast review
Text fields suggest recently entered input

Navigation: can step safely

"Back" and "Forward" actions make sense also for non-browser applications
"Undo" and "Redo" actions let correct wrong inputs
The user is guided by the app that enables and disables actions and input fields
"Delete" and "Close" actions show a confirm-dialog
Confirm-dialogs have a "Don't show again" option for skilled users
When you tap somewhere and something opens, another tap to the same place closes it

Different work speeds: support for all kinds of users

Menus and toolbars for unskilled users
Context menus and keyboard shortcuts for the skilled

Layout: look regular

Components are arranged in grids and aligned to each other
There is enough space around labels, fields and buttons (wherever users want to tap)