September poll results: What do you expect in a “simple” interface?

Poet Walt Whitman claimed: “Simplicity is the glory of expression.” Well, for decades tech companies have been trying to create gloriously simple interfaces for their solutions. Some have been successful. Others…not so much.

Last month, we asked you to share what you expect in a “simple” interface. As we had hoped, there were many interesting and insightful comments!

Perhaps the (…wait for it…) SIMPLEST way to explore the responses, is by breaking things down into 2 parts. In part 1, we will look at core elements that many of you feel are necessary for a simple interface. In part 2, we will look at some specific features that you think should be included in a simple interface.

Part 1: The core elements

In looking at all of the responses, five core elements emerged as being fundamental in a simple interface:

1. Easy: You expect a simple interface to be easy, and provide options like shortcuts, access to the most-used features, and customizable menus.

2. Intuitive: You expect a simple interface to be intuitive with respect to layout and navigation. Information and interactive components (such as buttons, forms, icons, etc.) should be where you expect them, and workflows should be predictable and logical.

3. Consistent: You expect a simple interface to be consistent on two levels: within a solution (going from screen-to-screen/section-to-section), and across multiple solutions (going from solution A to solution B to solution C, etc.).

4. Fast: You expect a simple interface to offer a fast login, rapidly help you find and do what you need, and load/render screens quickly. Time is of the essence!

5. Appealing: You expect a simple interface to be visually appealing, so that your experience is both more efficient and enjoyable.

Part 2: features

Some of you also listed some specific features that you expect to find in a simple interface. These include:

• Good command line tooling for repetitive work;
• An advanced interface for admins and super/privileged users;
• Content search options;
• Context-sensitive help.

Simplicity shouldn’t sacrifice functionality

Lastly, we want to highlight a wise point that a few community members shared: while tech companies should ensure that their interfaces are simple (or risk losing their users!), they must NOT sacrifice required functionality. Indeed, an interface that is too minimalistic may be refreshingly uncluttered and perhaps even beautiful, but it will lead to confusion and frustration. Essentially, an interface should be as simple as possible — but not more than that.

The winners

Now, let us announce the two lucky poll participants who have been randomly selected to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Congratulations Primator_nl and Ron! Please email slafortune@devolutions.net to claim your prize.

Thank you once again to everyone who participated in the poll!