Forms 2 Userfriendly FormsApplications

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Forms 2User-friendly Forms/Applications

• Patrick Lasu
• p_lasu_at_lycos.com

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Why is a good design important?

• A database with a user-friendly design captures
  all the necessary data
• With a bad design, the user can omit data input,
  or worse, the database is not used at all

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References

• The Windows Interface Guidelines for Software
  Design at microsoft.com

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Overview of Software Design

• User Control
• Minimal Modal Interactions
• Personalization Support
• Direct User Manipulation
• Consistency

• Simplicity
• Forgiveness
• Feedback
• Visual Design
• User Assistance

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User Control

• The User should always feel in control
• User initiates action, not the software
• Personalize aspects of the interface
• System Properties Fonts, Color, etc.
• Take requests
• Make it interactive and responsive
• Avoid modes

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Minimal Modal Interaction

• Modal Interaction
• When a user must complete a task before
  continuing another task
• Save before Closing dialog box
• Modeless Interaction
• When a user can move between different tasks
  without finishing either one
• Spell check dialog box

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Personalization Support

• Users have different working styles and different
  levels of experience
• Try to accommodate as many styles and levels as
  possible
• For programmers, save customized settings with
  SaveSetting Statement
• Login names, color schemes, specific startup
  form, etc.

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Direct User Manipulation

• Use clear object metaphors
• Metaphors support user recognition instead of
  recollection
• A Print button prints
• Define verbs for objects
• Right-click a .wav file to see the word Play
• Incorporate affordance into object usage
• Example ControlTip text to learn about a control

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Consistency

• Consistency within the product
• A specific command does the same thing throughout
  the application
• Consistency within the operating environment
• Questionable Win XP is different than Win 3.1
• Consistency with metaphors
• An incinerator is different than the recycle bin

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Simplicity

• An interface should be simple (not simplistic),
  easy to learn, and easy to use.
• A good design keeps the balance between maximum
  functionality and maintaining simplicity
• Eliminate visual clutter
• Eliminate ambiguity
• Avoid jargon
• Use progressive disclosure

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Forgiveness

• Users like to learn by exploring
• Many times making errors while learning
• Physical and Mental errors
• To implement forgiveness
• Minimize the opportunity for errors
• Give the user an escape route
• Handle errors gracefully
• Supply reasonable default values

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Feedback

• Always provide feedback for a users action
• Especially if the task takes long to complete
• Nothing is worse than a dead screen

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Visual Design

• Visual design is more than decoration its a
  tool for communication
• It will make or break your application
• Study good and bad interfaces
• Mimic good, avoid bad

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User Assistance

• Use Help
• Typing info directly on the form/control
• Using ControlTip text
• Creating wizards
• Creating a customized help file