Make it easy-to-use is Rule #3 of the Six Rules for Creating Products People Love. This brief provides an excellent introduction to the design concepts you need to make easy-to-use products.

1. Rule #3: Make
Make Products it Easy-to-Use
Easy-to-Use
Researchers have found that
when people think a system is
easier to use then they also
consider it more useful.
Since some of the things that
make a product useful include
better performance or improved
productivity, it only makes
sense that ease-of-use is a big
factor.
After all, how can a product
make you more productive if
you are struggling to make it
work?
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© 2012 Green Expert Technology

2. The designer should
communicate to the user
The less thinking people
are forced to do in order to
use your product the
better.
This is best accomplished
with a design that
communicates to the user
how the product functions.
It is a beautiful thing when
a designer is able to speak
to the user through the
design.
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3. An example design that
Communicates Function
On the standard toaster two slots on top
mimic the shape of the two slices of bread
required to make a sandwich. A lever drops the
bread into the space between the heating coils
and mechanically locks them in place. A single
knob controls how dark and crispy the bread
will be toasted. When your bread is finished
toasting, the mechanical lock disengages with
an audible “pop” that signals to you that the
toast is ready. If you fail to hear the “pop,” you
can see the toasted bread sticking visibly up in
the slots.
The toaster may seem elementary in its
simplicity, and you may be fooled into saying,
“Well, how else would you design it?” Truly
the greatest of praise for a product is when a
user cannot imagine a better design.
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4. An example design that
Fails to Communicate
Ever felt stupid for pulling on
a door that you need to push
to open?
YOU are not stupid, the
design is!
A grip handle is NOT needed
for pushing, so why did the
designer put it on the push-
side of the door?
See the row of doors at right;
quick: push or pull?
The push side should have a
flat push-pad and the pull-side
of a door should have a pull
handle. Then, no one would
ever have to feel stupid.
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5. Designer speaks to user
through the system
Donald A. Norman writes
that there are “three
conceptual models” that we
must understand.
 The designer’s model
System of how the product or
Designer User system works
Image
 The user’s model of
how it works
 The system image that is
the physical
representation of the
design.
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6. Doors and toasters,
what about
software systems?
Easy-to-use Software is:
 Intuitive
 Simple
 Flexible
 Empowering
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7. Intuitive
When the system is truly
intuitive there is no need
for mouse-over tips, online
help, or training.
The user is able to
determine how the system
works just by looking at it.
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8. Simple
There is a line between
feature-rich and confusing.
Simple is free of complexity
and free of clutter.
Don’t add functions to your
software just because you
can.
Instead, focus on the user’s
needs.
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9. Flexible
Overly rigid software can
be frustrating. We do not
know what every user
wants to do with our
product, so it is good to
provide some flexibility
that allows the user to
customize the experience.
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10. Empowering
Software is empowering
when it enables some users
to become super-users if
they choose.
Most people just want
your software provide a
core function without too
much complexity.
Some people want to do
more and they want your
software to allow them to
become expert users.
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11. Prototype, evaluate, & repeat
Software designers need to
understand users’ work flow and then
improve it.
This is only accomplished through a
lot of product touching by people
who are NOT developers.
Real users and people who do not
understand the guts of the system
provide critical design feedback
because they only have the “user’s
model” and system image to make
decisions.
Developers overlook issues because
they are informed by knowledge of
the “designer’s model” and are able to
bridge design gaps with this
knowledge.
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12. Make it easy-to-use
The iPod set a new standard
for easy-to-use for the
personal music device. The
iPod was more expensive but
it was completely intuitive.
Ease of use must be
considered early and often
when designing a product.
The goal of every product
designer should be to
communicate function
through the design.
As Steve Jobs said,
“The design is how it works.”
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13. Six Rules for Creating Products People Love
Make it Easy to Use is Rule #3 of
Easy to Setup
the Six Rules for Creating Products
People Love.
When you consider the rules at Useful
every step in the product
development process you set Easy to Use
yourself up for success. Learn
more by reading the book; it is
Attractive
available for purchase at the
publisher’s site:
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com Valuable
/Products/SKU-000598891/Six-
Rules-for-Creating-Products- Trustworthy
People-Love.aspx
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14. Bruce D. Green
Bruce D. Green is the author of the book Six Rules for Creating
Products People Love. Bruce provides training, consulting, and
facilitation for product development teams and individual
entrepreneurs.
He has founded or cofounded a number of successful companies
including Green Expert Technology, Inc. and The GBS Group.
Bruce has led numerous product development projects for the
US Navy and Fortune 500 companies. Bruce developed the Six
Rules for Creating Products People Love after more than fifteen
years of studying why people choose to use one product over
another. He has published articles and presented at academic
and industry conferences on usability, technology acceptance,
and system development.
Email bruce@greenxt.com or call (856)520-6342
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