}  A new user interface model ◦  suggests how to make software applications

simpler by breaking features into screens or pages that are easy to explain and understand.

}  Tests show that users may find things more easily

}  Many applications leaves it to the user to deduce the page's purpose and how to use the controls to accomplish that purpose

} Software is hard to use

}  Users don't seem to construct an adequate mental model of the product.

}  Even many long-time users never master common procedures.

}  Users must work hard to figure out each feature or screen.

} General strategy for making software products … ◦ self-evident ◦ self-explanatory

}  What do I do? }  How do I

know when I’m done?

}  Induce: to lead or move by influence or persuasion.

}  An extension of the common Web-style interface

}  Good web design means ◦  focusing on a single task per page and ◦  providing navigation forward and backward through

pages.

}  A well-designed inductive interface helps users answer two fundamental questions they face when looking at a screen: • What am I supposed to do now? • Where do I go from here to accomplish my next

task? •  How? Have a purpose • One purpose • Clear •  Explicit

1.  Focus each screen on a single task. 2.  State the task. 3. Make the screen's contents suit the

task. 4. Offer links to secondary tasks.

}  The screen's primary task. }  Described in their own words. }  Example: ◦  "Select the bill you want to pay" J ◦  "Review the performance of your investments." L

}  Each screen's title = The task }  This can be a direct instruction ... ◦  "Select the account you want to balance"

}  or a question you want the user to answer ◦  "Which account do you want to balance?"

}  Deliberately vague ◦  "Settings"

}  Coined buzzwords ◦  "QuickStep" ◦  “WiseCode”

}  Jargon that reveals implementation details ◦  "Database compaction“ ◦  “Event logging review” ◦  “System dump”

}  Imagine a friend asking, "What is this screen for?"

}  Then come up with a clear, helpful response that completes the sentence "This is the screen where you …."

}  The words that complete the sentence become the screen title.

}  Users should be able to easily figure out how to achieve the screen's primary task. ◦  When users are told to select an account, and they

can look on the screen to find a list of accounts, they confirm their understanding of the task.

}  This increases the chance that users will be successful, which also increases their confidence in performing other tasks.

}  Related tasks }  Lets the user ignore the computer's present

question and ask the computer to do something else instead.

}  In case he took a wrong turn somewhere. }  Example: ◦  Computer: "Which bill do you want to pay?" ◦  User: "Actually, what I really want to do is find a bill

that I paid a while back."

•  Use consistent screen templates. •  Provide screens for starting tasks. •  Make it obvious how to carry out the task

with the controls on the screen. •  Provide an easy way to complete a task and

start a new one. •  Make the next navigational step obvious.

} Primary assistance } Secondary assistance

}  Not perfect, but much more user-friendly than deductive UIs.

}  Maybe better for noobs. }  Not as good for experienced users.