8 Golden Rules of UI
The 8 Golden Rules of Interface Design by Ben Shneiderman
Strive for consistency Consistent sequences of actions should be required in similar situations.
Enable frequent users to use shortcuts As the frequency of use increases, so do the user's desires to reduce the number of interactions.
Offer informative feedback For every operator action, there should be some system feedback.
Design dialog to yield closure Sequences of actions should be organized into groups with a beginning, middle, and end.
Offer simple error handling As much as possible, design the system so the user cannot make a serious error.
Permit easy reversal of actions This feature relieves anxiety, since the user knows that errors can be undone.
Support internal locus of control Experienced operators strongly desire the sense that they are in charge of the system and that the system responds to their actions. Design the system to make users the initiators of actions rather than the responders.
Reduce short-term memory load The limitation of human information processing in short-term memory requires that displays be kept simple, multiple page displays be consolidated, window-motion frequency be reduced, and sufficient training time be allotted for codes, mnemonics, and sequences of actions.
References
- Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design – Design Principle