From Oliver Wrede’s Details of a global brain: “There are a number of reasons why user interfaces of many software packages fail. I assume (slightly unfair and inaccurate), that in many cases there is no interface designer involved with user interface development, but rather the interface is designed by the application developers.
Here is a list of (some) common fallacies of some developers in regard to user interface design.
Here’s my summary of Oliver’s list—read more here.
–User centered design approach is optional.
–Features are more important than usability.
–“Design” is just an emotional and subjective quality.
–Functionality is what the user could do.
–Personal experience is the best advisor.
–Good application design is the primary determinator for good interface design.
–It’s OK to reject major changes of the application for minimal interface design improvements.
–A bad user interface alone cannot set the seal on the fate of the application.
These rules are as valid for web sites and web-based services as for software applications–and they are important successful factors–ignore at your peril.