An attractive, functional and straightforward software application user interface can easily make the difference between a product´s success or failure. This seems more than logical, but interface design and testing is often being overlooked by both small and large software manufacturers. When an end-user finds an interface to be less than logical, difficult to understand and uncomfortable to work with, then a product that could have been excellent, is condemned to failure.
The Main Goal of Any User Interface
When designing a software application user interface, the main aspect to take into account is its general acceptance by end-users. After all, users want to perform their tasks as rapidly and easily as possible, and the interface is just a tool to achieve that goal. As such, any software developer must ensure that the final software product includes a visually attractive, flexible and easy to use interface.
Unfortunately, many IT companies tend to pay little attention to the rules and methods required to design a good user interface. “All that matters is that the application works!” seems to be their motto. But with this philosophy, they are forgetting about the numerous inconveniences and difficulties that they are causing to the end-users of their products. When a visual application obliges a user to constantly consult the reference manual, it is time to improve the interface design. Likewise, frequent need of assistance to be able to work with an interface is a clear indicator of an inflexible software product that drastically reduces productivity, as users need more time and concentration to perform their tasks.
The Golden Rules of a User Friendly Application Interface Design
Luckily, a clumsy interface can be easily improved and avoided by following some simple ground rules – five Golden Rules to design a nice, professional and straightforward software application user interface.
- Consistency. A good user interface should allow users to perform the same sequence of actions in similar situations, and the terminology used throughout menus, windows and dialog boxes should be consistent.
- Speed. Frequent users should be able to work with shortcuts, to increase the interaction speed. Key combinations, hidden commands, etc. are very helpful to expert users.
- Feedback. Each action should be followed by some type of system feedback, such as short messages.
- Aesthetics. An attractive user interface increases end-user satisfaction as it makes the user experience more pleasant.
- Action reversal. A good interface should not punish its users for their mistakes. Instead, it should offer them the possibility to undo their actions, for example via the typical ‘Undo’ button. This way, users will be more relaxed while working and tend to explore more of the product´s options.
In addition to these Golden Rules for the design of a flexible and user friendly application interface, it is advisable to keep in mind some other aspects of a professional and flexible user interface. For example, enabling users to enter data via checkboxes and dropdown menus, instead of having to enter all information manually, greatly simplifies any task. Another useful element is adding dialog boxes that guide the users through the actions required to perform a task, and even careful selection of icons and other images helps to turn a steep learning curve into a short and gentle slope.
In this regard, more trivial aspects such as spelling and grammar also need to be paid attention to. After all, badly-written instructions may prevent or even hinder some tasks or actions, and they certainly reflect a dreadful image of both the software developers and the manufacturing company.
Towards Software Excellence
In short, any company that strives to stand out from the competition with professional products of superior quality, should pay special attention to the aspects of usability and flexibility of the software application’s user interface, as these are critical and decisive elements in software excellence.
Julio A. Olivares
DocPath CEO