Ten popular rules for interface design

<br />This is an article I collected a long time ago. I would like to share it with you for your reference. There are three popular interface styles: multi-window, single-window and resource manager style. Regardless of the style, the following rules should be taken seriously.
1. Ease of use :
The button name should be easy to understand, use accurate words, avoid ambiguous words, and be easy to distinguish from other buttons on the same interface. It is best if the meaning can be understood at a glance. Ideally, users should be able to understand the functions of the interface and perform relevant correct operations without consulting help.
Usability details:

Buttons that perform the same or similar functions should be framed with a frame, and commonly used buttons should support shortcuts. Elements that accomplish the same function or task are placed in a centralized location to reduce the distance the mouse has to move. Divide the interface into local blocks according to function, enclose them in frames, and include functional descriptions or titles. The interface should support the keyboard automatic browsing button function, that is, the automatic switching function by pressing the Tab key. The controls that should be entered first and contain important information on the interface should be placed at the front of the tab order and in a prominent position on the window. The number of controls on the same interface should not exceed 10. If there are more than 10 controls, you can consider using a paging interface to display them. The paging interface should support quick switching between pages. The commonly used combination shortcut keys Ctrl+Tab and the default button should support Enter and select operations, that is, pressing Enter will automatically execute the corresponding operation of the default button. A writable control should give an explanation and automatically gain focus when it detects illegal input. The order of the Tab keys should be consistent with the order in which the controls are arranged. The currently popular method is from top to bottom overall and from left to right between rows. Check boxes and option boxes are arranged in order of highest and lowest probability of selection. Check boxes and option boxes should have default options and support Tab selection. When the number of options is the same, use an option box instead of a drop-down list box. When the interface space is small, use a drop-down box instead of an option box. Use an option box when the number of options is small, otherwise use a drop-down list box. Highly professional software should use relevant professional terms, while general interfaces are encouraged to use general terms.
2. Normative :
Usually the interface design is designed according to the specifications of the Windows interface, which includes the standard format of "menu bar, toolbar, tool box, status bar, scroll bar, and right-click shortcut menu". It can be said that the higher the degree of standardization of the interface, the better the usability. Small software generally does not provide toolbox.
Normative details:

3. Help facilities :
The system should provide detailed and reliable help documentation so that users can find solutions themselves when they are confused.
Help facility details:

The performance introduction and description in the help document should be consistent with the system performance. (Our system help documents are all instructions from the system's ancestral period, which is confusing). When packaging a new system, make corresponding changes in the help documentation for the modified areas. During operation, the function of calling system help in time should be provided. F1 is commonly used. When calling help on the interface, you should be able to locate the help location relative to the operation in a timely manner. That is to say, help must be immediate and targeted. It is best to provide the currently popular online help format or HTML help format. Users can use keywords to search for the help they need in the help index, and of course help keywords should also be provided. If no written help documentation is provided, it would be best to have a function for printing help. Our technical support methods should be provided in the help, so that users can easily seek new help methods if they find it difficult to solve the problem themselves.
4. Rationality :
The position where the screen diagonals intersect is where the user looks directly, and the position directly above one quarter is where the user's attention is most likely to be attracted. When placing the form, pay attention to utilizing these two positions.
Reasonable rules:

The center of the parent or main form should be near the diagonal focal point. The subwindow should be located in the upper left corner or center of the main window. When multiple sub-windows pop up, they should be offset to the lower right in sequence to display the window title. Important command buttons and frequently used buttons should be placed in prominent locations on the interface. Buttons that could easily cause the interface to exit or close if used incorrectly should not be placed in easy-to-click locations. The beginning or end of a horizontal row and the end of a vertical row are easy points. Buttons that are not related to the ongoing operation should be blocked (displayed in gray in Windows and cannot be used). Confirmation information must be provided for operations that may cause data to be unrecoverable, giving users the opportunity to give up the option. Illegal input or operation should have sufficient prompts and instructions. There should be prompts for problems that occur during operation and cause errors, so that users can understand the source of the error and avoid indefinite waiting. Hints, warnings, or error messages should be clear, concise, and appropriate.

Previous Page 1 2 Next Page Read Full Article

<<: Solve the Docker x509 insecure registry problem

>>: 3 codes for automatic refresh of web pages