The BasicPump design

• Text menus have many of the advantages of pull-down menu systems but they can be controlled from the keyboard and so avoid the necessity of having to transfer attention to the mouse.
  
  
• Command line systems can be the most powerful for experienced users but can be intimidating to novice users.
  
  
• The syntax of command line systems should be as regular as possible and designed with care.
  
  
• An effective help system is essential for command line interfaces.
  
  
• Feedback in a command line system should include a history list of commands issued.
  
  
• Any user interface should be effective, efficient and enjoyable.
  
  
• Evaluation of an interface by the use of structured investigations can be very powerful, but it is also very expensive.
  
  
• Evaluation of an interface by the use of heuristics is the most cost effective way of improving its usability, particularly when it is carried out by a usability expert.
  

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Exercises for Chapter 7

7.8 Evaluating the interfaces

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