Chapter 24 -- Unnecessary Repetitive Tasks Are Evil

Chapter 24

Many programs have tasks that require unnecessary repetition. You know what I mean. To use these programs, you have to go through the samesteps over and over again. You have to move and resize the same windows, select the same settings, and enter the same input in dialog boxes. You have to go through the same sequence of steps to perform a task that could be replaced by a single step or even performed automatically. Using these programs is a real grind. It's no fun to have to repeat the same unnecessary steps to get your work done.

Whenever you notice that you or any of your users are repeating the same steps over and over, ask yourself whether there's a way to eliminate the repetition. There usually is, either by adding functionality or by monitoring the user's input. The user shouldn't have to start completely over every time he runs the program or performs a task. Users are telling your program how they want to use the program while they are using it. All your program has to do is listen.