| Don't expect to save much of user's time with icons. |
At best, icons save about 300 milliseconds in speed over a label alone. That's about one third of a second! |
| Unless developing for expert users, use labels with icons. |
Most icons must still be "learned" to be understood. Sidestep the learning curve by adding labels to your icons. |
| You can save space with an unlabeled toolbar or icon palette, but this requires training users to expert levels. |
If you need to save space on labels, and the application is used often enough to permit easy recall of the icon meaning, then use a palette, toolbar, or ribbon.
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| Use icons primarily to increase "flash", but don't forget the costs. |
Icons are a nifty way to enhance the visual attractiveness of an application. But consider the possible costs in increased development time, user training, and lack of keyboard access for activating an icon button. |
| Reinforce a metaphor with icons. |
If your application uses a metaphor, like a paint program, make the controls more concrete and easier to learn with contextually related icons. They increase satisfaction and may reduce training. |
| Don't make users work hard when selecting actions. |
For a keyboard-oriented application, avoid toolbar icons for frequent actions. Users may find icons hard to select from the keyboard. Function keys give quicker keyboard access and they avoid typing errors associated with Alt and Ctrl modifiers. Also, keep functions positioned on the screen as part of a left-right, top-down task flow. |
| Don't make users switch between mouse and keyboard frequently |
Fast typists lose up to 8 keystrokes to reach for the mouse. Slow typists only lose about 3 keystrokes. Consider these costs when designing keyboard intensive screens like data entry. Consider using function keys, "hot keys", or accelerator keys to access buttons for experts using the keyboard. |
| Design for a mouse when the task calls for occasional updates that use large cursor movements |
When data changes are scattered across the screen, a mouse can let the user move quickly to the desired field. Use mouse-oriented widgets such as radio buttons to make the point-and-click selection easier. If space is limited, a drop-down list box accommodates mouse usage as well. |
| Remember the benefits of a mouse over typing |
A mouse lets you draw using trial-and-error! Extend this to non-typing situations such as analog controls for setting valve opening and where approximate input values are fine. Make these systems easy for non-touch-typists. |
| Recognize practical user limitations for mouse usage |
Some users may have difficulty with the eye-hand coordination required for the mouse, or users may be standing--a difficult position for mouse control. Sometimes the environment may not support a mouse (e.g., cluttered work space, corrosive fumes). |
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