Qualities of Great Software Design
by scott on June 07, 2007 | Write a comment
What makes a great web application?
From David Verba, Director of Technology, Adaptive Path:
- ”A successful product depends on the experience your users have and how well your product serves their needs.”
- ”Don’t try to be everything to everybody.”
Selections from Robert Hoekman, Jr., interaction designer and usability specialist:
- ”It conforms to the way users interact with the Web, but focuses on the activity instead of a specific audience.”
- ”It has only those features that are absolutely necessary for users to complete the activity the application is meant to support.”
- ”It has uniformly designed interface elements, but leverages irregulariry to create meaning and importance.”
My design goals include those above plus:
- It is fast and responsive.
- It provides continous feedback to guide users.
- It minimizes navigation and focusses on activity.
It’s all Plain Old Common Sense
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’s expectations, or IT models of what an application should be but around the user’s experience.
