A computer shall not waste your time or require you to do more work than is strictly necessary.
Jef RaskinI am confident that we can do better than GUIs because the basic problem with them (and with the Linux and Unix interfaces) is that they ask a human being to do things that we know experimentally humans cannot do well. The question I asked myself is, given everything we know about how the human mind works, could we design a computer and computer software so that we can work with the least confusion and greatest efficiency?
Jef RaskinUsers do not care about what is inside the box, as long as the box does what they need done.
Jef RaskinWhen you have to choose among methods, your locus of attention is drawn from the task and temporarily becomes the decision itself.
Jef RaskinA well-designed and humane interface does not have to be split into beginner and expert subsystems.
Jef RaskinI am only a footnote, but proud of the footnote I have become. My subsequent work on eliciting principles and developing the theory of interface design, so that many people will be able to do what I did is probably also footnote-worthy. In looking back at this turn-of-the-century period, the rise of a worldwide network will be seen as the most significant part of the computer revolution.
Jef RaskinAn interface is humane if it is responsive to human needs and considerate of human frailties.
Jef RaskinA computer shall not harm your work or, through inaction, allow your work to come to harm.
Jef RaskinOnce the product's task is known, design the interface first; then implement to the interface design.
Jef RaskinImagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody thinks of complaining.
Jef RaskinIf I am correct, the use of a product based on modelessness and monoty would soon become so habitual as to be nearly addictive, leading to a user population devoted to and loyal to the product.
Jef Raskin