8 Golden Rules of Interface Design
February 16, 2020
Shneiderman devised 8 rules of interface design. Elements of these rules can be found in many modern interfaces used today.
The Rules
| Rule | Description |
|---|---|
| Strive for consistency | Things should work according to convention; similar actions and controls are presented similarly |
| Enable frequent users to use shortcuts | Allow quicker and simpler access to frequently used features/actions |
| Offer informative feedback | Keep the user in the know of what is going on in the system; acknowledge users’ actions |
| Permit easy reversal of actions | Allow users to undo mistakes, encouraging them to explore the interface more freely |
| Handle errors simply | Detect errors and offer the user simple ways to handle them |
| Design dialog to yield closure | Group sequences of actions and offer feedback when each group has been completed |
| Support internal locus of control | Make users the initiators of action, giving them the sense of being in control |
| Reduce short-term memory load | Keep things simple to avoid overloading the user with too much information |
Food for thought
Think of various commercial products today. The Windows OS, the Google Assistant, and the iPhone are a few examples. Can you think of various aspects of these products’ interfaces that follow the 8 rules of interface design?