Software development and management practices help organizations ensure that software products are methodically developed and delivered in accordance with stakeholder requirements. Development management systems are sophisticated software tools that optimize and control software development processes. Their main purpose is to coordinate development teams, assist in planning, monitor tasks and resources, and ensure seamless information sharing between project participants.
Given the impact of user experience on the success of technology products today, the importance of an intuitive and user-friendly interface cannot be underestimated.
In this article, let’s see why it’s so important to design a user-friendly interface and explore the 5 principles of a user-friendly interface using the example of IT project management system SimpleOne SDLC.
What is UX and why is a usable interface so important?
In the IT market, user interface design plays an important role in the success of an entire system or an individual application. Therefore, in order to remain competitive, companies must prioritize creating an attractive, effective user interface (UI) while promoting a better user experience (UX).
User experience (UX) can be defined as any interaction a user has with your product: from the moment they become familiar with it to their direct experience with it. UX design involves design processes that enable you to provide the user with an intuitive, efficient, and useful experience.
UX design focuses heavily on a deep understanding of users’ needs – what they need, what they value, their capabilities and limitations. It also takes into account the company’s business goals and objectives.
The interface itself is a kind of “bridge” between the user and the system, and if it is well designed, it plays a crucial role in improving user experience, increasing engagement and, ultimately, determining the success of the product itself.
The importance of user-centered interface design has been emphasized on many different levels, including Jacob Nielsen, known for his “ten heuristic rules for the interface“, and Donald Norman, who introduced the concept of “user experience” and authored the book The Design of Everyday Things.
5 Principles of User Experience
The team’s efforts in developing the SimpleOne SDLC focused on implementing principles (discussed below) where the focus is on user satisfaction – resulting in an interface that is not only usable and functional, but also contributes to team productivity and efficiency.
Principle #1: Having easy navigation and quick access to key features
A quality user interface is simple and easy to use, with a clear and concise design. Users should be able to quickly and easily navigate the system without getting lost in a “maze” of confusing menus, options.
“For SimpleOne SDLC, global navigation and logical transitions between pages were developed to ensure that tools are available according to the user’s current request. And a dedicated navigation system makes it easy to jump to entire projects or specific tasks related to the user’s personal work”,
– Karen Ananian, Product Designer at SimpleOne.
What problems does the user face when there is no convenient navigation?”
- Decrease in overall productivity due to increased time spent on searching for necessary functions;
- Possible increase in errors due to misunderstanding of the interface, which ultimately leads to misuse of the system functions.
Principle #2. Ability to customize the interface to meet individual user needs
Personalization is important for the user interface because it allows the system to be customized to meet specific user needs and preferences. That is, users should be able to customize settings and preferences according to their workflows and requirements. The more the software meets the needs, the more often it will be used.
“Using the SimpleOne SDLC system, the user can customize not only the work on each individual project, but also the work boards (for each of the projects respectively). In addition, the platform’s tools allow the workspace to be customized to individual preferences and work processes”,
– Karen Ananyan, Product Designer at SimpleOne.
What problems does the user face when there is no customization?”
- Uncomfortable working in an environment with a lack of optimization, leading to a decrease in motivation and satisfaction with use;
- Difficulties in integrating team- or project-specific tools and methodologies, which can lead to reduced performance;
Principle #3. Display integration tools in the interface
As noted earlier, different users may have different needs during the process of using the product – especially if it will be necessary to integrate additional tools. This is how the user can ensure that the elements of the system function as a whole.
“The SimpleOne SDLC solution was designed with this in mind as well. If a team sees a need for integration, they can, for example, introduce a time management system (WTM) into the SDLC workflow and subsequently account for labor at each step in a couple of clicks”,
– Karen Ananian, Product Designer at SimpleOne.
What problems does the user encounter with lack if lack of integration?”
- Limitation of functionality due to the inability to add the necessary tools for teams to work;
- Extended time to complete tasks due to the need to use third-party solutions
Principle #4. Consistency in the interface
Consistency in user interface design is to ensure that its elements look and function the same. This will result in a common visual language that users can learn and recognize, making it easier for them to navigate and interact with the product.
Especially this important aspect concerns the moment when the user starts working with a new interface. So while working with the different tools of the application, the user is already familiar with certain mechanics and elements.
“For the SimpleOne SDLC system, uniformity in the display of boards, other pages, and record forms for different types of projects is one of the key components for teams to work efficiently”,
– Karen Ananyan, Product Designer at SimpleOne.
What problems does the user face when there is no consistency?”
- An increase in the level of difficulty in learning new features, which can result in decreased efficiency;
- The likelihood of errors occurring and increasing when dealing with different interface approaches in different parts of the system.
Principle #5. Ensuring a continuous workflow
An important aspect in creating an effective working environment is the ability to work with tasks seamlessly without being distracted by transitions between different tools and windows. It is very important to be able to work on items without leaving the team’s workflow.
“In the SimpleOne SDLC, we have implemented functionality that allows users to perform a wide range of actions directly from the workboard. This includes the ability to block a task if work on it is not possible for a variety of reasons, change key task parameters, add work notes, jump to subtask details, and write off labor right in the workflow”,
– Karen Ananian, Product Designer at SimpleOne.
What problems does the user face when there is no workflow continuity?”
- An increase in time spent on task management due to the need for constant transitions between sections of the interface;
- Risk of missing important changes or updates to tasks, as information may not be reflected in a timely manner due to distracting transitions.
Conclusion
Creating user-friendly interfaces is essential for any project in development management systems. A user-friendly interface is not only beneficial, but it also makes software or enterprise applications easy to use and reduces the time required to learn how to navigate within the system.
Given the SimpleOne SDLC design principles that were the focus of this article, it is safe to say that they have contributed to the creation of an intuitive, user-friendly interface, ensuring efficient work and team collaboration.
