Cognitive’s Blog

When using a system, a tools, a software, I want to accomplish a goal, a task

• I expect the system to provide me the information and tools necessary for me to accomplish my task
• I want to be able to accomplish my task in the natural flown of my thinking:

1. search for information;
2. look at the information;
3. make a decision;
4. execute an action; and
5. look at a confirmation of the action I just took

• I don’t want to have to go through unnecessary steps or take unnecessary actions. I also don’t want to be annoyed by information that is not necessary for me to accomplish my goal or task.
• When I enter text, I expect that my most common choices are already available and selected by default.
• I expected that mechanical task such as calculation, repetition and detection will be performed by the system or tool
• I don’t want to have to recall or take notes in order to know what I input
• When I am executing a task , I don’t want to be interrupted or distracted
• I want to be able to instantly understand text, symbols and graphic. If something is unfamiliar, I want access to a detailed explanation
• I expect to receive feedback following my actions. If I don’t receive this feedback immediately and have to wait, I want to know how long that wait is going to be.
• I want to be able to read text and discriminate images
• I want controls (i.e., devices for input and navigation) and tools to be familiar and behave as expected
• I don’t want to be careful to prevent errors. I expect the system to be allowing input errors (for example to accept various dates format). If I commit errors, I expect the system to detect errors for me, provide an error recovery mechanism and provide clear and explicit message that convey status and corrective action required.
• I want the system to be flexible by providing a rapid method or route for tasks that I am already familiar with. However, it should provide guidance for unfamiliar tasks.
• I want to be the one in charge of the interaction and feel that as a user I am in control. To accomplish this I need to see what is going on behind the scene and have the ability to override the system at any time. I am not comfortable with hidden processes.
• I want to know here I am, where I come from, be able to go back where I was or go back at the home of the system.

Tags: Interaction design, Usability, Usability guidelines, User Experience

This entry was posted on Friday, March 27th, 2009 at 11:57 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.