Heuristics For The Design And Evaluation Of Interfaces

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Heuristics For The Design And Evaluation Of
Interfaces
Concepts covered How you can follow the nine
usability heuristics during the design of
computer system to avoid common design
pitfalls. How the usability heuristics can be
used to evaluate a computer system.
These lecture notes are based on the CPSC 481
lecture notes "Heuristics"
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Heuristics Introduction

• What are Heuristics?
• How can they be used?

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1) Simple And Natural Dialog
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1 Simple And Natural Dialog
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2 Speak the users language
Account total 50.00Maximum withdrawal of 50
at this time.
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2) Speak The User's Language
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3) Minimize The Users Memory Load
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3 Minimize The Users Memory Load

• Computers good at remembering things, people
  arent!

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4) Be Consistent
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4) Be Consistent
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4) Be Consistent
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5) Provide Feedback

• What is the program doing?

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6) Provide Clearly Marked Exits

• Universal Undo
• e.g., ltCtrlgt-ltZgt and ltCtrlgt ltYgt
• Interrupt
• Length operations
• Restoring defaults
• Getting back original settings

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7) Provide Shortcuts

• Keyboard accelerators
• Name completion

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8) Deal With Errors In A Helpful And Positive
Manner

• Provide meaningful error messages
• Dont make people feel stupid
• Compare the following
• Try again, bonehead!
• Error 25
• Cannot open this document
• Cannot open chapter 5 because the application
  Microsoft Word is not on your system
• Cannot open chapter 5 because the application
  Microsoft Word is not on your system. Open it
  with Teachtext instead?

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8 Deal With Errors In A Positive And Helpful
Manner
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8 Deal With Errors In A Positive And Helpful
Manner
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8 Deal With Errors In A Positive And Helpful
Manner
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9) Provide Help

• Reference Manuals
• Popup help
• Tooltips
• Whats this (Balloon help)
• Wizards
• Tips

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Reference Manuals

• Traditional form of help
• Detailed
• Paper or online

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Reference Manuals

• Traditional form of help
• Detailed
• Paper or online

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Popup Help

• Tooltips
• Whats this (Balloon help)

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Wizards
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Tips

• Advanced features
• Point out incorrect use

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Tips

• Advanced features
• Point out incorrect use

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Summary

• Nine principles of design
• Simple and natural dialog
• Speak the users language
• Minimize users memory load
• Be consistent
• Provide feedback
• Provide clearly marked exits
• Provide shortcuts
• Deal with errors in a positive manner
• Provide help