http://synapsoftware.com/blogit/ en-us 40 Synap Software comments <p>What makes a great web application?</p> <p>From <a href="http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/rails2007/view/e_spkr/3217">David Verba</a>, Director of Technology, Adaptive Path:</p> <ul> <li>&#8221;<em>A successful product depends on the experience your users have and how well your product serves their needs.</em>&#8221;</li> </ul> <ul> <li>&#8221;<em>Don&#8217;t try to be</em> everything <em>to everybody.</em>&#8221;</li> </ul> <p>Selections from Robert Hoekman, Jr., interaction designer and usability specialist:</p> <ul> <li>&#8221;<em>It conforms to the way users interact with the Web, but focuses on the activity instead of a specific audience.</em>&#8221;</li> </ul> <ul> <li>&#8221;<em>It has only those features that are absolutely necessary for users to complete the activity the application is meant to support.</em>&#8221;</li> </ul> <ul> <li>&#8221;<em>It has uniformly designed interface elements, but leverages irregulariry to create meaning and importance.</em>&#8221;</li> </ul> <p>My design goals include those above plus:</p> <ul> <li>It is fast and responsive.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>It provides continous feedback to guide users.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>It minimizes navigation and focusses on activity.</li> </ul> <p><strong>It&#8217;s all Plain Old Common Sense</strong></p> <p>Each of these goals of great software design are rather self-evident. I list them here as a reminder to myself and other web application designers to design applications not around a technology convention, framework&#8217;s expectations, or IT models of what an application should be but around the user&#8217;s experience.</p> Thu, 7 Jun 2007 16:35:00 EDT <a href="/blogit/articles/2007/06/07/great+software+design">Qualities of Great Software Design</a> <a href="/blogit/articles/2007/06/07/great+software+design">Qualities of Great Software Design</a>