Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition

038 Control

The level of user control should be related to the proficiency and experience of the user.

People should be able to exercise control over what a system does, but the level of control should be related to the user’s proficiency and experience using the system. Novices perform best with less control, while experts perform best with more control. A simple example is a child learning to ride a bicycle. Initially, training wheels are helpful in reducing the difficulty of riding by reducing the level of control (e.g., eliminating the need to balance while riding). This allows the child to safely develop basic riding skills with minimal risk of accident or injury. Once the basic skills are mastered, the training wheels get in the way and ...