Design Guidelines for Media Systems

Information requires access

When releasing data series, arrangements should be made for the provision of appropriate access tools, whether supplied with the data or available through third-party processors.

User actions should be in a consistent order and have consistent results; similar displays should convey the same information

Keystrokes (especially function keys and CTRL, ALT, OPT, SHIFT or COMMAND choices) and other user actions should have the same meaning throughout a program, different programs from the same vendor, and, if possible, across programs from different vendors. Required user actions shall follow a consistent order (e.g., selected material followed by commands). Similar displays (prompts, highlights, colors) should have similar meanings.

Colloquial English is preferred to jargon

English words and phrases used to communicate with the user shall be colloquial and clear. Jargon (such as computer terminology or terse filenames) is to be avoided when colloquial alternatives exist. Error messages should be written to convey information to users.

Provide basic operational functions

Certain functions shall be considered basic to most programs, and should be provided. These include a way to save work in progress and to retrieve it later, to review entered information in a concise manner, and to display or print results. If appropriate, program data should be able to be supplied or transmitted to other programs through common formats or interchange facilities.

System requirements should anticipate diversity

Users should not have to reconfigure their computers or networks in order to make use of a special program. Access tools shall be written to operate within a wide variety of common configurations of the chosen operating environment, including choice of monitors, graphics cards, LANs, and memory resident utilities or INITs.

Reduce number of "places" in the program

Getting lost in the structure of a program happens to users all too frequently. Trimming this structure by reducing the number of "places" and screens a user can encounter is therefore a worthy goal. When this number cannot be further reduced, a clear visual indicator of the existence of a mode, or of the userŐs position in the modal structure, shall be provided. ("Mode" is formally defined as "a state of a system that has no role other than to place an interpretation on input from the user".)

Make it easy to tell what the system is set to do, is doing, or has done

Determining the system state is as crucial as knowing how to execute desired functions. Therefore, the program shall be visible, in that the existence of modes, the amount and nature of entered information, and the options available to the user shall all be readily perceivable by the user. To the greatest extent possible, the user shall not be required to memorize special actions, keys or key sequences to get this information.

Consider existing standards for graphic interfaces

Graphic user interfaces improve the usability of computer systems. At the very least, system developers should attempt to understand existing formal standards, such as Macintosh or Microsoft Windows. Subsequent implementation of them is highly desirable. Otherwise, attempts shall be made to observe prevailing de facto standards. As a last resort, data suppliers should create and maintain their own standards across systems they create.