- User expectations
User expectations refers to the
consistency that users expect from products.Interaction design is very concerned with this topic. For example, our user expectations for traffic behavior is one of the more consistent ones because it is governed bytraffic law s that are enforced.Software , or even worse smallconsumer electronics , on the other hand, can have widely varying degrees of consistency.A good
rule of thumb or "design principle" to use in interaction design is to follow the "Principle of least astonishment ". In the case of interactivesoftware application s, for example, users form expectations based on their experience with similar kinds of software. Effectivesoftware design aims to conform with prevailing norms for aspects of behavior such as the software'suser interface and its responsiveness.A commonly noted sign of poor
usability andhuman factors due to the violation of user expectations is when signs are needed for common things like doors. This was made famous byDonald A. Norman in his seminal bookThe Psychology of Everyday Things . There is also a website devoted to such Bad Designs [http://baddesigns.com] .ee also
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User experience design External links
* [http://www.adaptivepath.com/publications/essays/archives/000272.php User Expectations in a World of Smart Devices, by Mike Kuniavsky]
* [http://webword.com/moving/expectations.html Managing User Expectations, by John Rhodes]
* [http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/5-how-to-avoid-foolish-consistency/ How to Avoid Foolish Consistency, by Scott Berkun]
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