I am a big believer in interface ergonomics. Let me define what I mean by ergonomics in an interface. An ergonomic interface is one where the user feels comfortable using the application. Where using the interface feels intuitive. Clean, consistent and productive interfaces get the GUI out of the way so the user can spend his time using the software. I think my time at Apple ( Macbook Air…drool…. ) years ago has forever changed my perception of how user interfaces should work.

I would like to share three of my favorite links.

    The first one, Ten Ways to Make More Humane Open Source Software has a big of a misleading title. Is should be something like “10 ways to not mess up your GUI”. It is a great article, and well worth taking a look.

    The second article The Rise of Interface Elegance in Open Source Software. This article is more about creeping featuritis and learning to say no.

    The last article The Luxury of Ignorance: An Open-Source Horror Story, is a bonus. Just a rant on how difficult some interfaces are and mentions “Aunt Tillie”.

Here is a great rule from Joel on Software on UI design.

A user interface is well-designed when the program behaves exactly how the user thought it would.