First Principles

Principle 1 - Design for Wayfinding

Let's start by borrowing a term from out in the world architecture of public spaces and buildings.

Wayfinding lets people know four things.

1. Where they are
2. Where the things are that they are looking for
3. How they can get to those things
4. Where they have already looked

Principle 2 - Set Expectations and Provide Feedback

It is the designers job to make it clear what is going to happen when a button is clicked and when it is provide feedback as to what just happened. If the process is longer, like for example online ordering of books, then the stage in the process you are at needs to be clear.

Principle 3 - Design Ergonomically

As a web designer I am concerned with the users'

hands - so that navigation using a mouse or touchpad is easy

eyes - so that content is easily readable

ears - so that sounds played, are not an annoyance to others and can be turned off.


Principle 4 - Be Consistant: Consider Standards

How are the best sites providing the content that your users expect?

Users will expect certain conventions to be used especially if there are similar sites providing content that is similar to yours. They also expect these conventions to be used in the same way throughout your website.

Principle 5 - Provide Error Support - Prevent, Protect and Inform

Preventing by providing clear, easy to understand dialogue.

Protecting - by saving any user entered information

Informing - when it goes wrong, let your users know in a nonjudgmental way what's happened and how to put it right.

Principle 6 - Rely on Recognition Rather than Recall

Computers are great at remembers, humans are rubbish but humans better at recognising familar things.

Principle 7 - Provide for People of Varying Skill Levels

A website user is only a beginner for a short time, after a couple of visits they've become and intermediate. They stay at this level for a while or maybe always but some will choose to learn more and become an expert. A website then should be easy at the beginning but provide the majority of content for the intermediate, then a small amount of extras for experts.

Principle 8 - Provide Contextual Help and Documentation.

People will require help but are usually resistant to ask for it. The manual for the camcorder or mobile phone is rarely helpful and so people have learnt not to look for instructions.
Brief, clear instructions, or guidance just when the user needs it is the way to go. Users will like it if you anticipate what their needs are and provide them with such. The right guidence, and instructions will only be written after user testing.