031 Control
The level of user control should be related to the proficiency and experience of the user.
• Novices perform best with less control, while experts perform best with more control. Accordingly, a well-designed system should offer varying levels of user control according to level of expertise.
• Novices benefit from structured interactions, minimal choices, prompts, constraints, and access to help.
• Experts benefit from less structure, direct access to functions, and minimal use of constraints and prompts.
• Since accommodating multiple methods increases complexity, the number of methods should be limited to two: one for beginners and one for experts.
• Provide methods optimized for beginners and experts for frequent operations. When systems are complex and frequently used, consider designs that can be customized to user preference and levels of expertise.
See Also Constraint • Flexibility Trade-Offs • Visibility
