8.2 Functionality to Support User's Tasks

Users do wide range of work:

• text editing
• electronic mail
• financial management
• airline or hotel reservations
• inventory
• manufacturing process control
• gaming

Designer should

• determine functionality of the system by studying users' task domain
• create a list of task actions and objects
• abstract this list into a set of interface actions and objects
• represent low-level interface syntax
• create a table of user communities and tasks, with expected use frequency
• determine hierarchy of importance of user communities (i.e. prime users)
• evaluate destructive actions (e.g. deleting objects) to ensure reversibility
• identify error conditions and prepare error messages
• allow shortcuts for expert users, such as macros and customizing system parameters