As far as UI standards for data entry applications are concerned, I recommend Microsoft's User Experience Guidelines as a starting point. Google "msdn windows 7 user experience guidelines", navigate to the MSDN page, find the PDF link and download the document.
Most business people use Microsoft products daily. If your application follows the same basic layouts and uses the same keyboard shortcuts, your users will quickly learn your application; as a bonus, your application will teach them how to use their MS products. However, if your application works contrary to MS products, or requires them to memorize a different command set, then they'll despise you and your product. Have your developers read the book "GUI Bloopers" to avoid stupid GUI layouts. Also "User Interface Design for Programmers" is helpful. <http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/fog0000000249.html> When is it okay to break out and show off a new interface? When it matches the user's imaginary model, not the developers! Finally, desktop and web applications are starting to blur into one another, so it's okay to borrow practices and standards from one and implement them in the other. _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
