Chapter 5 -- Pay Attention to Other Programs
I find it highly educational to pay careful attention to other programs' user interfaces while I am using them. Looking at other programs is an interesting exercise for a programmer because it turns the tables on you by turning you into a user. This helps you focus on the program's usability rather than its implementation or technology.
Everyone has their favorite programs, and everyone has programs they can't stand. You should try to understand why you feel the way you do about a program. What is it about the user interface that makes the program good, and what is it that makes it bad? This understanding will help you improve your own programs. Of course, if you like all programs, you probably need to be a bit more critical—there are plenty of bad ones out there.
TIP
Think like a user instead of a programmer. Trying to understand why you feel the way you do about a program will help you improve your own programs.
I find that the programs I like best have many of the same characteristics, which are described in the following sections.
EAN: 2147483647
Pages: 334