Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Unleashed

The Basics of Form Design

Designing the appropriate user interface for a Windows application is still part art and part science. In the Windows Forms world, a user interface is a collection of images, controls, and window elements that all work in synergy. Users absorb information through the UI and also use it as the primary vehicle for interacting with the application.

The task in front of any developer when creating a user interface is primarily one of balance: balancing simplicity of design with the features that the application is required to implement. Also thrown in the mix is the concept of standards, both formal and experiential.

Note

Although we use the term developer in this chapter, much of the UI design and layout process is actually ...