Universal Principles of UX

80

Never give total control.

The more flexible the interface, the more control the user has. But the more control the user has, the more complex the interface becomes. The amount of control we want to give really depends on the intended target audience. If the product is meant to be widely adopted, users should be somewhat limited, but if the product is meant for highly specialized professionals, it’s better to give as much control as possible.

Basic control and flexibility that allows the user to easily go back, cancel, close, or undo is a given and should be supported in any interface. But allowing users to completely customize their experience should be reserved only for professionals or not given at all. The happy intermediary, where everyday ...