atw: Re: User friendly terminology

Hi Ilana

While I don't have a resource specific to your needs, I'll recommend a =
book
for you: "Don't make me think!" by Steven Krug. Although he focuses on =
web
design, his mantra can be applied to pretty much the design of any
human/computer/machine interface. Well worth hunting out and reading - =
you
can get through it in an afternoon. Lots of common sense advice about =
making
things so simple and intuitive for the user that they "don't have to =
think"
about what to do now or what to do next - and that includes the words =
you
use.

Rhonda

Rhonda Bracey
rhonda.bracey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=20
http://www.cybertext.com.au (Latest newsletter:
http://www.cybertext.com.au/newsletters.htm)
AuthorIT Certified Consultant

-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ilana Cohney
Sent: Friday, 28 November 2003 12:30 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: ASTCs etc


Hi all,
Just to change the subject from ASTCs etc (even though I really think I =
will
join, it sounds very worthwhile) , I need some advice (yet again). I am
currently looking at the terminology that we use in our software =
interfaces.
Some of the terms are very "technospeak" and I would like to make them =
more
user friendly.  For example, why use the term Insert Record if you want =
to
add a new record, why Perform a Query if you want to search for records. =
 I
have been looking at several database interfaces for better terminology =
but
have yet to find examples that I really like. Anyone out there know of a
relational database that uses terms that even non-technical users can
readily understand.  Do you know of any standards (apart from Microsoft
which I am trying to avoid) in interface terminology that we can use, or
simply have seen an interface whose terminology impressed you with its
accuracy and clarity.  Am I asking too much on a Friday afternoon? All =
the
best. Ilana Cohney


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