How to do UCD
The following are ten (10) good (bit not hard or fast) principles for user-centred design. And if you're interested, UCD principles has much more on the apparent multiplicity of "principles" in UCD and IA circles (and therefore why such principles are more akin to heuristics or fashion statements).
- Design for the users and their tasks - interactive systems do not operate in isolation and only exist to enable people to perform tasks
- Be consistent - make the behaviour of common interface elements and dialogue boxes as consistent as possible
- Use simple and natural dialogue - the dialogue between user and system should follow the natural sequence implied by the task
- Reduce unnecessary mental effort by the user - if users have to invest too much mental effort in working out how to operate the computer, they will be less efficient at the task they are using the computer to perform
- Provide adequate feedback - users need to be confident that their actions have been successful
- Provide good navigation mechanisms - provide enough relevant information for users to know where they are
- Let the user drive - the user should be able to select the information they need in a sequence which is convenient to support each individual task
- Present information clearly - arrange on-screen information so as to increase the user's ability to discriminate between different items and groups of data, through the use of spacing, boxes, and visual coding techniques
- Be helpful - so far as possible, systems should be self-explanatory so that they can be used with the minimum of help and documentation
- Reduce errors - reduce errors by guiding the user down the correct path to accomplish their goal
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