Researchers have found that when people think a system is easier to use then they also consider it more useful.

Since some of the things that make a product useful include better performance or improved productivity, it only makes sense that ease-of-use is a big factor.

After all, how can a product make you more productive if you are struggling to make it work?

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Make Products Easy-to-Use

Rule #3: Make it Easy-to-Use

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The designer should communicate to the user

The less thinking people

are forced to do in order to

use your product the

better.

This is best accomplished

with a design that

communicates to the user

how the product functions.

It is a beautiful thing when

a designer is able to speak

to the user through the

design.

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An example design that Communicates Function

On the standard toaster two slots on top

mimic the shape of the two slices of bread

required to make a sandwich. A lever drops the

bread into the space between the heating coils

and mechanically locks them in place. A single

knob controls how dark and crispy the bread

will be toasted. When your bread is finished

toasting, the mechanical lock disengages with

an audible “pop” that signals to you that the

toast is ready. If you fail to hear the “pop,” you

can see the toasted bread sticking visibly up in

the slots.

The toaster may seem elementary in its

simplicity, and you may be fooled into saying,

“Well, how else would you design it?” Truly

the greatest of praise for a product is when a

user cannot imagine a better design.

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An example design that Fails to Communicate

Ever felt stupid for pulling on

a door that you need to push

to open?

YOU are not stupid, the

design is!

A grip handle is NOT needed

for pushing, so why did the

designer put it on the push-

side of the door?

See the row of doors at right;

quick: push or pull?

The push side should have a

flat push-pad and the pull-side

of a door should have a pull

handle. Then, no one would

ever have to feel stupid.

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Designer speaks to user through the system

Designer System Image

User

Donald A. Norman writes

that there are “three

conceptual models” that we

must understand.

The designer’s model

of how the product or

system works

The user’s model of

how it works

The system image that is

the physical

representation of the

design.

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Doors and toasters, what about

software systems?

Easy-to-use Software is:

Intuitive

Simple

Flexible

Empowering

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Intuitive

When the system is truly

intuitive there is no need

for mouse-over tips, online

help, or training.

The user is able to

determine how the system

works just by looking at it.

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Simple

There is a line between

feature-rich and confusing.

Simple is free of complexity

and free of clutter.

Don’t add functions to your

software just because you

can.

Instead, focus on the user’s

needs.

8

Flexible

Overly rigid software can

be frustrating. We do not

know what every user

wants to do with our

product, so it is good to

provide some flexibility

that allows the user to

customize the experience.

9

Empowering

Software is empowering

when it enables some users

to become super-users if

they choose.

Most people just want

your software provide a

core function without too

much complexity.

Some people want to do

more and they want your

software to allow them to

become expert users.

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Prototype, evaluate, & repeat

Software designers need to understand users’ work flow and then improve it.

This is only accomplished through a lot of product touching by people who are NOT developers.

Real users and people who do not understand the guts of the system provide critical design feedback because they only have the “user’s model” and system image to make decisions.

Developers overlook issues because they are informed by knowledge of the “designer’s model” and are able to bridge design gaps with this knowledge.

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Make it easy-to-use

The iPod set a new standard

for easy-to-use for the

personal music device. The

iPod was more expensive but

it was completely intuitive.

Ease of use must be

considered early and often

when designing a product.

The goal of every product

designer should be to

communicate function

through the design.

As Steve Jobs said,

“The design is how it works.”

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Six Rules for Creating Products People Love

Make it Easy to Use is Rule #3 of

the Six Rules for Creating Products

People Love.

When you consider the rules at

every step in the product

development process you set

yourself up for success. Learn

more by reading the book; it is

available for purchase at the

publisher’s site:

http://bookstore.authorhouse.com

/Products/SKU-000598891/Six-

Rules-for-Creating-Products-

People-Love.aspx

Easy to Setup

Useful

Easy to Use

Attractive

Valuable

Trustworthy

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Bruce D. Green

Bruce D. Green is the author of the book Six Rules for Creating

Products People Love. Bruce provides training, consulting, and

facilitation for product development teams and individual

entrepreneurs.

He has founded or cofounded a number of successful companies

including Green Expert Technology, Inc. and The GBS Group.

Bruce has led numerous product development projects for the

US Navy and Fortune 500 companies. Bruce developed the Six

Rules for Creating Products People Love after more than fifteen

years of studying why people choose to use one product over

another. He has published articles and presented at academic

and industry conferences on usability, technology acceptance,

and system development.

Email bruce@greenxt.com or call (856)520-6342

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