Notes

First rule: Don't make me think!
- Make everything self-evident. If not, then aim for self-explanatory.
Second rule: It doesn't matter how many times I have to click, as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice.
Usability: A person of below-average ability and experience can figure out how to use the thing [learnable] to accomplish something [effective] without it being more trouble than it's worth [efficient]
- - "delightful" to stand out. Ways users describe this: fun, surprising, impressive, captivating, clever, & magical
Given the speed users move, think of web/app design as billboard design.
Use design cues to reduce questions
- Use one color for all clickable text (and no underline)
- Use visual hierarchies and nesting
- Buttons should say what they do and look like clickable buttons with hover & press states
- No floating headers; use short paragraphs; use bulleted lists; bold key terms
UI guidance, it's only helpful when it's
- brief, timely, and unavoidable (like "What's this?" links & tooltips & (?) circled question marks)
Omit needless words - product should have no unnecessary words, "for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts" - E.B. White
There are both: Search-dominant users & Navigation-dominant users, much like some people go into a store and browse store aisles, while others immediately ask an associate
- Navigation must be good due to the "teleportation effect" of browsing the web
- Secondary navigation, tertiary nav, and further, is a good all the way down.
- Use 2/3: {button shading, text color, text bold} to show path taken in navigation
- Visual cues must be LOUD, not subtle
Omit your "global navigation" on forms
The Trunk Test
- User has been teleported to your site via link.
- Like having blindfold taken off after being kicked out the trunk in a kidnapping
- Give them a National Park map on the side of the road. Must have:
  - What site is this? (Site ID)
  - What page am I on? (Page name)
  - What are the major sections of this site? (Sections)
  - What are my options at this level? (Local navigation)
  - Where am I in the scheme of things? ("You are here" indicators)
  - How can I search? (Search bar)
All users expect the Site ID to be a link in top-left corner that takes you to the Home page
Filter is useful after searching, once user decides necessity on limiting scope