User centered design or UX design is not, and never will be, a “no brainer”. Companies spend millions to get this right. The following summarize best-practice for the design of usable systems. Before designers open Visio, Omnigraffle or Axure they should consider these key principles:
1. Design for your users and their tasks
2. Be consistent
3. Use simple and natural dialogue
4. Reduce unnecessary mental effort by the user
5. Provide adequate feedback
6. Provide intuitive navigation
7. Let the user drive
8. Present information clearly with clean, uncluttered design
9. Content is key and does what it’s supposed to do, i.e., inform, sell, entertain, search, communicate
10. Colors that enhance the design
Some of my UX work includes…
Design for the MassMutual “Business Kit” application.