Application Design Articles & Videos

  • State-Switch Controls: The Infamous Case of the "Mute" Button

    On–off controls that switch between two different system states need to clearly communicate to users both the current state and the state the system will move to, should the user press that control.

  • Complex Application Design: A 5-Layer Framework

    Various contexts of complexity should be considered by UX designers and researchers designing complex applications, including complexities of integration, information, intention, environment, and institution.

  • Mobile-App Onboarding: An Analysis of Components and Techniques

    Onboarding is the process of getting users familiar with a new interface. It can involve one or more of the following components: feature promotion, customization, and instructions.

  • Listboxes vs. Dropdown Lists

    Listboxes and dropdowns are compact UI controls that allow users to select options. Listboxes expose options right away and support multi-selection while dropdowns require a click to see options and support only single-selection.

  • Mobile Tutorials: Wasted Effort or Efficiency Boost?

    Our research shows that tutorials don’t make users faster or more successful at completing tasks; on the contrary, they make them perceive the tasks as more difficult.

  • Mental Models for Cloud-Storage Systems

    Users have a rudimentary understanding of cloud services and attempt to fit them into their existent, simpler mental models that they had formed for similar, more-traditional services.

  • Treemaps: Data Visualization of Complex Hierarchies

    A treemap is a complex, area-based data visualization for hierarchical data that can be hard to interpret precisely. In many cases, simpler visualizations such as bar charts are preferable.

  • 3 Design Considerations for Effective Mobile-App Permission Requests

    Mobile permission requests are often poorly designed. Consider the content and timing of these requests, avoid dark patterns, and enable users to reverse their decision.

  • Contextual Menus: Delivering Relevant Tools for Tasks

    Contextual menus are displayed on demand and contain a small set of relevant actions, related to a control, a piece of content, a view in an app, or an area of the UI. When designed right, they deliver relevant tools for completing tasks without adding clutter to the interface.

  • UI Copy: UX Guidelines for Command Names and Keyboard Shortcuts

    Labels for commands should be brief, informative, rely on verbs and adjectives, and avoid branded terms. Command shortcuts must limit the number of modifiers and follow standard conventions.

  • Top 10 Application-Design Mistakes

    Application usability is enhanced when the UI guides and supports users through the workflow.

  • 10 Design Guidelines for Reporting Errors in Forms

    Help users recover from errors by clearly identifying the problems and allowing users to access and correct fields easily.

  • Tooltip Guidelines

    Tooltips are user-triggered messages that provide additional information about a page element or feature. Although tooltips aren’t new to the web, they are often incorrectly implemented.

  • Apps Within Apps: UX Lessons from WeChat Mini Programs

    Our user studies in China found that embedded-app designers must consider the context of use, the core functionality of the parent platform, and how the programs will be used.

  • Designing Effective Infographics

    Information graphics translate data into a visual medium that is easy to understand and engaging, aiming to integrate text and pictures.

  • Toggle-Switch Guidelines

    On/off switches are UI elements that prompt users to choose between 2 mutually exclusive options, always have a default value, and provide immediate results.

  • Confirmation Dialogs Can Prevent User Errors — If Not Overused

    8 UX guidelines to avoid many serious user errors reduce the risk that people automatically agree to a warning without realizing the consequences.

  • What the Erroneous Hawaiian Missile Alert Can Teach Us About Error Prevention

    People should not be blamed for errors caused by poorly designed systems.

  • Wizards: Definition and Design Recommendations

    A common application-design pattern for inputting information, wizards work well for processes that are performed only occasionally.

  • Dashboards: Making Charts and Graphs Easier to Understand

    Visualizations should leverage human cognition and use length and 2D position to communicate quantitative information quickly.