Interface Design Golden Rules
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the 8 rules (Shneiderman)
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consistency — maintain consistent sequences of actions, terminology, color, layout, capitalization, and fonts; exceptions should be limited and clearly indicated
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enable shortcuts — support expert users with abbreviations, special keys, hidden commands, and macro facilities
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informative feedback — every user action should produce some appropriate system response
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closure in dialog design — sequences of actions should be organized into groups with a clear beginning, middle, and end — giving users a sense of completion
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error prevention and handling — minimize errors by guiding users toward valid actions; inform users of correct actions; support correct command completion
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easy reversal of actions — allow users to undo actions easily; this reduces anxiety about exploration
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support internal locus of control — the user should feel like the initiator of actions, not a responder to system prompts
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reduce short-term memory load — interfaces should not require users to hold large amounts of information in working memory
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condensed into 3 categories (Pressman, SE textbooks)
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place the user in control — draws mainly on enable shortcuts, easy reversal of actions, support internal locus of control
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do not force users into unnecessary or undesired actions; support flexible interaction styles; make interactions interruptible and undoable
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streamline interaction and reduce unnecessary steps; allow interface customization
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hide technical internals from the user; enable direct manipulation of on-screen objects
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