| good user interface | allows the user to always get out, go back or undo an action |  |
| allows the user to cancel out of a dialog box | |
| allows the user to set system preferences so she always feels in control | |
| allows the user to undo an action that may have changed data in the system | |
| appears uncluttered | |
| arranges elements in straight lines or several columns | |
| asks the user to confirm an action if it can have serious consequences and cannot be undone | |
| avoids technical jargon and acronyms in text | |
| does not have too many pages, each with only a small amount of information, because the user will have to spend much time navigating and will become lost | |
| does not use too many different colours, fonts or graphics | |
| ensures that the user does not have to navigate anywhere to do subsequent steps of a task | |
| explains a situation in adequate detail and helps the user to resolve a problem when something goes wrong | |
| follows usability principles | |
| follows look-and-feel standards | |
| has different modes for beginners and power users if the system is complex | |
| has easy-to-understand help | |
| has informative error messages which tell the user the exact thing that has gone wrong and exactly how to correct the problem if possible | |
| has response time of a second or less for operations such as saving most data, moving between windows, obtaining help, and obtaining the first feedback from any longer operation | |
| has response time that appears instantaneous for operations such as tracking the cursor, popping up of menus and echoing of input | |
| has adequate response time | |
| informs the user about where they are located among the various windows and pages | |
| informs users of the progress of operations, changes of state, and of their location as they navigate | |
| is good enough that the user rarely needs to access the help system | |
| is understandable by all users | |
| is usable by people with disabilities | |
| is a subtopic of 7.5 - Usability Principles | |
| is internationalized | |
| is a kind of user interface | |
| mimics other applications, while avoiding copyright infringements and duplicating the weaknesses of other applications | |
| only displays essential information, while allowing the user to request additional information by navigating to another dialog box, tab or page | |
| provides adequate customization capabilities or preferences settings so that the user has the freedom to adapt the system to his or her needs | |
| reduces the amount of reading and manipulation the user has to do | |
| shows an indication of progress for operations that are time consuming | |
| takes into account locale-dependent features | |
| uses a progress bar to inform the user what is going on if an operation is taking more than a few seconds | |
| uses appropriate coding techniques | |
| uses good labels to ensure all coding techniques are fully understood by users | |
| uses grouping, colour and fonts to help highlight the organization of information | |
| uses similar layouts and graphic designs throughout the application | |
| warns if the response time for an operation will be more than 15-20 seconds so that the user can do something else while waiting or choose not to perform the operation | |
| warns the user, before they perform an action, if it cannot be undone | |
| user interface | can take over half of all development effort | |
| is often the most complex part of the system to design, and the part that is most likely to cause users to perceive a lack of quality | |
| is abbreviated as UI | |
| should always be tested on users | |
| was simpler in the early days of computing | |
Object Oriented Software Engineering View all facts Glossary Help
