NEVER forget these simple rules. Every computer application with a user interface will benefit from them.

It’s really worth it. People will love you for it. Trust me 😉

I personally find that using an ordered list is somewhat misleading. Every point should be considered with equal importance. That’s why I will change to “ol” tag to an “ul” tag now 😉

• Strive for consistency. As we shall see below, it is important for a user interface to be consistent on many levels. For example, screen layouts should be consistent from one screen to another. In an environment using a graphical user interface (GUI), this also implies consistency from one application to another.
• Enable frequent users to use shortcuts. Frequent users (or, power users) may be turned off by overly tedious procedures. Allow those users a less tedious procedure for accomplishing a given task.
• Offer informative feedback. Users need to see the consequences of their actions. If a user enters a command but the computer does not show that it is either processing or has processed that command, this can leave the user confused and disoriented.
• Design dialogues to yield closure. Interacting with a computer is somewhat like a dialogue or conversation. Every task should have a beginning, a middle and an end. It is important for the user to know when a task is at its end. The user needs to have the feeling that a task has reached closure.
• Offer simple error handling. User errors should be designed into the system. Another way of stating this is that no user action should be considered an error that is beyond the ability of the system to manage. If the user makes a mistake, the user should receive useful, concise and clear information about the nature of the mistake. It should be easy for the user to undo his or her mistake.
• Permit easy reversal of actions. More generally, users must be permitted to undo what they have done, whether it is in the nature of an error or not.
• Support internal locus of control. User satisfaction is high when the user feels that he or she is in control and user satisfaction is low when the user feels that the computer is in control. Design interfaces to reinforce the feeling that the user is the focus of control in the human-computer interaction.
• Reduce short-term memory load. Human short-term memory is remarkably limited. Psychologists often quote Miller’s law to the effect that short-term memory is limited to seven discrete pieces of information. Do everything possible to free the user’s memory burden. For example, instead of asking the user to type in the name of a file which is going to be retrieved, present the user with a list of files currently available.

See page 74-75 Scheiderman: Designing the User Interface, 3rd