Top 10 User Interface Design Tips

It doesn't matter how amazing your software package or website is if nobody wants to use it. Turn frustrated end users into happy customers with these 10 interface design tips.

1. Design encompasses more than appearance. How it works is more important than how it looks.

2. Appearance does, however, have a place. Good designs marry form and function. Create an attractive finished product, but don't focus so much on appearance that you create a beautiful mess.

3. Keep it simple. The overuse of colors, images and fancy fonts clutters an interface. Go for timeless, simple elegance instead. In the words of Antoine de Saint Exupery, "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

4. Understand the goal. Knowing exactly where users want to go allows you to get them there effectively and efficiently.

5. Consider the device. Laptops, mobile phones and tablets are used for many of the same tasks, but all have unique strengths and weaknesses. Think about screen sizes, input methods and other factors that affect how these devices are used and find ways to maximize the positives of each while minimizing the negatives.

6. Show users what you want them to do. Make it obvious what action you would like users to take as they interact with the software or website. Make sure calls-to-action are clear and accessible.

7. Opt out, not in. Opting in require a user to take action, such as joining an email list. Instead, assume users are interested in joining the list and make doing so the default option. Make the opt-out option available and easy to find, however, so you are not tricking users into something they don't want.

8. Consistency is key. Find a new way of doing things when you have good reason, but don't reinvent the wheel. Use established interface features that are known to be effective and that users already recognize and understand.

9. Use fewer confirmation prompts. Make undoing an action easy in case of a mistake, but don't constantly ask users to confirm their actions. This is cumbersome and assumes the user doesn't know what he is doing.

10. Be a guinea pig. Thoroughly test your interface on the device you designed it for. Work through the entire process from start to finish, using real data if you can.