"User-Friendliness" (1 Viewer)

irish634

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Looking for some design thoughts on keeping my DB applications "user-friendly." Like most of you I have a certain "signature" or method as to how I like to see my databases setup/designed.

For example: I tend to incorporate menu bars & tool bars into my apps instead of using a menu/switchboard. However, I find that many basic users would rather see a menu/switchboard.

I already use features such as runtime and FE updating. I also use an Error log table to help troubleshoot when a user has a difficult time telling me what is going on.

In my development experience, I have found that not only are many end-users not Access Savy, they are generally not all that PC savy.

So, what are some things that you do to keep your designs as user-friendly as possible?
 

Atomic Shrimp

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As long as the application is a fairly simple one, I've recently taken to creating it all in one form with a tab control - and instead of having separate little forms, each distinct function of the application has its own tab. That way, you don't have to worry about what happens if they manage to close the switchboard and get stranded in one of the satellite forms, or if one form is obscured by another overlapping it.

For applications that have some sort of real-world linear process alongside them, the tabs can be ordered to match events in this process, making the application more intuitive.

(I expect someone will tell me this isn't a good idea now...)
 

MarkK

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- I write Wizards for operations that have a few steps or where data integrity or validation are critical.
- Where appropriate I like to use treeviews, listviews and right click popup menus. These are intuitive to use for people who know windows.
- Design a UI around the user's workflow, not around the structure of the data. It could be that 80% of user's time on your form he's only using 20% of the features.
 

irish634

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I use a lot of list views also. I always try to accomplish something with a single or double click. For the basic users I refer to, the less they have to do the better.

I'm glad you mentioned designing the UI around the workflow and not the data. That's something I've always tried to do.

I also understand about using only 20% of the features. In my former job, I created an enormous database for a manufacturing process, failure analysis, statistics, etc. I made it so all I had to do was select a few inputs and the DB did the rest. To this day I still get calls: "Can the DB do this? That?" The answer is usually that the feature is already there, they just don't use it.

I also like the "tab" idea from the first response (given the right circumstances of course).

Thank you for the responses so far.
 

gemma-the-husky

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i think a lot depends on what sort of app it is.

in traditional accounts office environments users are often used to working off switchboard menus, a form at a time. it takes them a while to get used to having multiple windows open, and managing data in alternative ways.

perhaps some of it is also the way the designer adds the functionality. its hard ot teach old dogs new tricks, and when you are used to a certain way of presenting stuff, its hard for the designer to change - some interesting ideas above though

finally, i find there is aslo some serendipity with access. some adventurous users always manage to find ways to accomplish things and integrate applications that you didnt envisage when you designed the thing anyway.
 
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Galaxiom

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Access 2007 provides a substitute for the tabbed form arrangement.

It provides some of the advantages of a tabbed layout while easily allowing users to be shown only the relevant Forms and Reports for their purposes. It presents very nicely and integrates the Reports in to the same tab structure.

Of course the the state of forms has to be managed and full references used between "tabs" but this is a fair substitute for not having to hide tabs with code.

This structure allows forms to be reused for variants on their purposes which is not so elegantly done in classic tabbed forms.

Access Options > Current Database > Document Window Options > Tabbed Documents
 

irish634

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Gemma, I agree with what you said whole-heartedly. I do find it sometimes difficult to change the way I present things, especially when the end-user has a completely different way of thinking about it.

Isn't that the truth that no matter what you do in your apps, some one will find away around something or accomplish the task differently then you envision. I call it "plugging holes." LOL. Especially in larger manufacturing companies that like to adhere to procedures, I find that limiting the way things are done helps with data integrity as well (so long as I don't stifle the process). I've been doing this for the better part of 10 years and the last few years, I find if I do an Alpha and Beta test prior to release, I can "plug" most of the holes. Alpha tests are usually run within a core group of users that are "more or most experienced." The beta test is usually across the end-user group. Then I make the appropriate corrections and roll out the release.

I especially find that doing this and allowing the users to provide feedback and see their changes (no matter how small), makes them more apt to use it as it's designed.

The basic users I refer to have surely kept me on my toes and taught me a lot when it comes to my design methodology.

Another thing I do in all of my apps is disable the mousewheel and incorporate PDF capabilities. Anyone that uses these mods know that you need the DLL files associated with them. So I always have a table that stores the required app files as a BLOB. When I call an operation that requires a file, I check for it's presence. If it's missing, I output the BLOB from the table and place it in the app folder. Then the process continues without a hitch and the end-user never knows there was anything wrong in the first place. Even if they delete the files, it puts them back if they are missing. I also do this with any active x files too.

One of these days I have to migrate to the newer formats of Access/Office to be able to take advantage of the newer options I read about.

Thanks for the discussion thus far and keep the ideas coming!
 

HiTechCoach

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Curious, since you disable the mouse wheel, what version of Access are you using?
 

irish634

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Since we're in the dark ages here at work, I'm stuck with 2K. But I have 2K3 at home.

Curious about your question now Haha.
 

HiTechCoach

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Since we're in the dark ages here at work, I'm stuck with 2K. But I have 2K3 at home.

Curious about your question now Haha.

Ahh ... Access 2000. That explains the Mouse wheel issues. I do not have this issues with 2003. Anymore, I will not support Access 2000 because of all if the "issues".

About a GUI, I like to stick with the current MS Windows Style and standards for constituency.

For example the Explorer bar down the left side.

For an Access implementation, see:
Explorer Bar - Non ActiveX
 

irish634

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I "wish" I could get this place to update, but we're in the stone ages on way too much here and the old guard stomps their feet and cries bloody murder anytime a change is suggested. Hell, we don't even have a server.. we're on a peer to peer network. That causes more headaches than anything.

Thank you for the link on the explorer bar... I'll take a look.
 

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