Reduce the opportunity to make problematic mistakes:

• Reduce technical decisions
• Detect, detect and ask, reframe questions
• Don’t ask things the user isn’t prepared to answer
• Reduce physical operations when they can be done wrong unknowingly
• Make it easy to do the right thing — a straightforward path to success
• Be less confusing than before
• Make it clear when it is right, that it has worked, that they did a good job
• Don’t complain; rather guide (or do it for them, automate)

We say “on” and “off” rather than “enable” and “disable”.

Be simple and positive-active in speech and attitude in interfaces and business and living.

“Decisions should be based on evaluating models of the real thing, not intellectual but physical models.” – Dieter Rams

Typical error responses need a negative and positive component (what happened and what you can do) but many errors can be taken care of automatically (so they disappear) or handled as conditions or requests rather than problems (positive response only).

Don’t forget to design for:

• First run
• Empty data set
• One item
• Many items (full use)
• Error conditions

Design the centerpiece (epicenter) first rather than starting from the known — starting from the known boxes around your core offering can result in a donut, where everything is solid but the reason we are here.

Skeuomorphism: we don’t need it, generally. A skeuomorph is a virtual representation of a physical object that is intended to make the virtual object seem familiar. In general skeuomorphs shortchange the advantages and communicability of a virtual interface all while disappointing the user. Cf. iCal on OS X Lion.

Good design

1. Fulfills its function
2. Respects its materials
3. Is suited to its method of production
4. Combines these in imaginative expression

UX modes of thought

• Reduce opportunities to make mistakes
• Don’t ask questions the user is not prepared to answer
• Do as much as we can for the user, rather than asking or making them figure it out
• Always ask about the emotional effect