The web user interface for an application can make or break a website, so following some suggestions on developing an effective UI will benefit the site publisher.
Edward Tufte's "Start with the end in mind - Arace noted activity diagrams will help developers see where users will proceed through an application, before coding the app or building its database schema. Think sequentially - users should understand how to move through a data entry process because the site describes how to do so. Don't get cute - Ajax and widgets have their place, but that doesn't have to be everyplace on a site. Don't count on documentation - just because the application has documentation doesn't mean users will read it first before diving into a form. Group things - Arace likes the "underutilized HTML elements" FIELDSET and LEGEND to make forms cleaner. Web apps aren't database interfaces - "If your web app looks a lot like phpMyAdmin, you may want to change it," wrote Arace. Sanity does not mean a Google-style simplicity, but a minimalism that communicates directly to the user what they are expected to do with a web application. Anything that makes the user experience easier makes the user happier. Happy users tend to be repeat users, and for a website focused on online retail, loyalty can be a rich reward. Tag: Add to Del.icio.us | Digg | Yahoo! My Web | Furl Bookmark Murdok: David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.Things To Do When Your UI Is Dead
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