The Wizard of UX is back after too long a hiatus. This example is a negative one in a product that is quite good overall, SQL Manager Lite. (Programmers, you might want to check it out at http://sqlmanager.net/products/mssql/manager.)
The example below indicates the importance of making the graphical layout correspond to the meaning. If you want to close the window in red, you must click the X in the green box. The problem is that the X appears to close some outer window, not the window it actually closes, leading the user to look around for another way to close the window.
Examples from iMIS could be given, but perhaps it’s better not to.
As always your suggestions for the Wizard of UX are requested.
It's Microsoft Standard
From: Mark Dennison
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 11:31 AM
To: Jim Sneeringer
Subject: RE: The Wizard of UX - 2/24/2008 - Who moved the X This is a case of the “Microsoft Standard” and good practice not being equal. MS-Word and MS-Excel both work this same way in Office 2003. Excel still works this way in Office 2007 but Word has been changed.
From: Jim Sneeringer
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 11:40 AM
To: Mark Dennison
Subject: RE: The Wizard of UX - 2/24/2008 - Who moved the X
You’re right. I never noticed that, probably because there is almost no reason to close the inside window in Excel.