My Design Checklist

Remember these simple rules when designing any new system that interacts with the human user:

  • It must look elegant and appealing to the eye — first, it’s all about the presentation
  • It must fail, if ever, gracefully — it will happen and better prepare for it
  • It should have an element of surprise and enlightenment — give more and delight the user
  • It should be designed for the good user in mind — hackers will always try to exploit the system, so dont penalize the good user
  • Think about performance and think it thorough — second, it’s all about the functions
  • Dont forget the grandma rule — your grandma should quickly learn how to use the system
  • Every system will require some training and have that in mind
  • Dont forget to have fun with it — it’s your life and your time going into it