A variety of factors influence a user’s experience when they engage with an app. While much of it is outside of the developer’s control, there are many intentional decisions to make when building databases. Prioritizing a user-centered development process helps set an interface up for successful deployment and use—but how do you do that? In this four-part series, we’ll explore some of the decisions developers have to make as they evaluate their database user interface and experience.
How do you structure content?
No matter what the content of your database is, having an established hierarchy is absolutely vital if you want the end users to successfully use the software—especially if one of your goals is to provide updates that are intuitive and do not require extensive retraining for your user base. The stakeholders must determine a priority order for the content. When everything is important, nothing is.
A key step to this is understanding how information relates together. When you arrange content on a layout, don’t haphazardly throw content on; intentionally examine the various pieces and place them in a manner that logically makes sense from the standpoint of end users. Another potential avenue is determining how the users obtain the information that they are adding, using existing documents or established processes can aid in simplifying the design and encourage user engagement and satisfaction. Keep in mind that there’s a balance between placing elements to have an aesthetically-pleasing shape, and arranging informative pieces to have a sensical communication hierarchy.
One client came to PK Information with a database previously developed by a different firm. Its key feature was a multi-page information intake form. As time passed and sections were added or taken away, it had begun to resemble Frankenstein’s monster. Content was no longer in a sensical order for user input—though all of the fields fit together like a completed puzzle. We completed a user interface overhaul for this client, which included a deep dive into the content to ensure it was rearranged in a more orderly manner on the new layouts.
Keep in mind that too much information presented at once overwhelms the viewer. The general guideline established by instructional designers is that you should have no more than seven groups or pieces of information per layout (or PowerPoint slide, etc). That may look like seven bullet points of informative text, or it might look like seven groups of related fields for a form. When you must communicate multitudes of information (such as on a dashboard), you can create hierarchy using:
White space between content to visually separate,
Different sizes of content with the larger sizes being more important,
Color used to inform (though in a careful manner so as to not distract),
Unity to create consistency between elements for visual recognition, and
Variety to demonstrate differences and draw attention.
Also in your research and interview phase, make sure you learn about the user workflow. While this may look different for each user, there will be commonalities. Sift through the noise to find your signal. User workshops can be helpful to learn about these, but so can logs and analytic tracking. Workflows (or workarounds) may commonly exist that your users don’t even think about or consider. Keep in mind also that the complex ones are rarely completed in one sitting; provide an opportunity to move on and finish inputting data or complete a task at a future time without losing all of the progress to date.
Throughout your software, make sure that you utilize consistency. When users don’t know how to navigate through or operate an app, they don’t want to use it. Headlines should be treated in the same manner on every layout so users understand where they’re at and what content that page holds. Additionally, results should be anticipated. Identical buttons need to perform identical functions or scripts, so that users achieve identical end results. Keep in mind that if there’s an industry standard, use it in the correct manner; don’t misappropriate without intentional purpose (read more about user-led icon sets).
When users understand the content of a software and the information structure, they’re able to navigate and use it in an educated manner, reducing mistakes and frustration. As the developer, you’ll need to invest time with your client as well as independently to determine the best way to achieve this—but the results are more than worth it.
PART 1: WHO DO YOU DESIGN FOR?
PART 2: HOW WILL YOU DEVELOP?
PART 4: HOW WILL THE INTERFACE LOOK?
PK Information is a FileMaker-certified development agency serving the Tampa Bay, Miami Lakes, and Knoxville regions. We believe that great software can change everything. Would an interface refresh help users better navigate your application? Contact us today!
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