Avoid User Modes

When trying to accommodate a wide range of user skill levels, you might be tempted to solve the problem by having user modes: one mode for beginning users, another mode for advanced users. User modes can also be configured for different roles—one mode for a manager, one for a worker, one for an executive, and so on.

I believe user modes are always a mistake, simply because they aren't necessary, and adding the complexity to support user modes makes the interface more difficult to use and understand for all users. I find that if you improve the usability for all users and make the program flexible and configurable, user modes aren't needed.

Consider Microsoft Word. This is an application that is used by a wide variety of users, all with different skill levels, all performing different tasks. People use Word to write letters, create reports, create brochures, write articles, write books, write poetry, prepare résumés, do homework, write term papers, and so forth. Each of these activities has different goals and requires different levels of skill. You might be able to make a convincing argument that the needs of different types of writers are so varied that different modes are necessary. Yet Word doesn't have user modes and it doesn't need them. It accommodates a wide range of users by providing easy-to-use functionality that is flexible and highly configurable. It helps users perform a wide variety of tasks through templates and wizards. In effect, this flexibility allows users to create their own modes. Having fixed user modes would only get in the way.

TIP

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Don't use fixed user modes. Provide enough flexibility and configurability so that users can create their own modes.