Always let me know where I am, how I got here, and how to leave.

Be explicit. Let me know“What can I do on this page?”

Provide instructions. I'm not going to read the manual, and I’m not going to click “Help”

Usability Tip #10

“ Keep me informed, not guessing.

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Don’t disable the “Back” button

Avoid unnecessary page reloads – use AJAX or other techniques

Always give me a way out -suggest what I might do next, even if it’s “go back to the list you just saw a minute ago”

Usability Tip #9

“ Don't frustrate me!

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Remember where I was –and bring me back if we get interrupted.

Remember my data. Learn and remember user settings.

For wizards, let me know how long I will be here –show steps and progress

Usability Tip #8

“ Respect my time and patience

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Don’t mix and match top and side navigation throughout the site

Usability Tip #7

Use consistent, intuitive navigation“

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Usability Tip #6

Maintain an aesthetically pleasing design.“

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Hire a visual designer and ensure that fonts, color schemes and graphics elements are pleasing.

Usability Tip #5

Provide an easy way to search“

“

Let me search for anything with one box, interpret my entry, and present the results in a meaningful way.

Make the software work hard, not me.

Usability Tip #4

Anticipate that things will go wrong.“

“

Provide helpful error messages

Look for potential problems early and often – as soon as I leave a field, or when I’m done with the section or the first page.

Tell me all at once about the 3 adjustments that I need to make, and clearly mark them in red.

Usability Tip #3

Follow the 80/20 rule.“

“

Keep it simple, limit the options – less is more

Deliver the functionality that 80% of us want, and maybe a bit more.

Give me the option for an “Advanced Mode” if you have to offer complex features, and hide them from the beginners.

Usability Tip #2

Go with the flow“

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A good user experience is one that meets users expectations.

See how other software does it, and model your experience after that.

Don't reinvent the wheel with a paradigm that goes against the grain of a well-established model. Unless your model tests better with users.

And that brings us to tip #1 …

“ Test! Test! Test!

“Usability Tip #1

Get your software in front of real users orpotential customers as early and often as possible.

This is especially important for electronics or software that will be used by a wide user base.

If you don’t have the expertise, hire a professional to conduct your testing. The feedback is priceless.

Testing is FAR cheaper than shipping a subpar product. Worst case, you’ll know that your UI will be well-received, and you’ll get terrific ideas for future releases.