Simplifying for Usability

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Introduction

1. Simplification

• Simplification: What Does it Mean, What are its Benefits?

2. The Users

• Who are Your Users, What are Their Needs?
• Some Myths about Users
• What Does Cognitive Psychology Tell Us about Users?

3. Design Principles

• Global Goals for Simplification
• Design Principles for Simplification
• Simplicity
  • Reduction
  • Organization, Structure
  • Integration
  • Prioritizing
• Transparency
  • Understandability
  • Learnability
  • Self-Descriptiveness
  • Consistency, Conformity to User Expectations
  • Stability, Continuity
  • Feedback
  • Metaphors
  • Efficient (Re)presentation
  • Aesthetics
• Effectiveness and Efficiency
  • Goal Orientation
  • Suitability for the Task
  • Error Robustness
  • Distribution of Tasks (Division of Labor)
  • Balance of Controllability vs. Guidance – Amodality vs. Modality
  • Parallelism

4. Tips and Tricks

• What Is Really Necessary?
• Who Does the Work?
• Who Is in Control?
• Understanding, Learning and Relearning

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