Requesting a book recommendation for MS Access Forms Design

My data entry forms need to be more professional in look and function.

Our MS Access program captures a lot of information from users (over 300
data elements from each user). They are required to answer many
questions and provide quite a bit of free text information. I've tried
different approaches to make the input screens function well and look
professional, but I'm really frustrated with the outcome. They "work"
but they look so amatuerish and are awkward to navigate.

Is there a good book that would help me improve my skills? Or is there a
site on the Internet that might be a good example of how to capture a
lot of information in a professional looking way?

Thanks for taking the time to help.

- David Kistner

This is actually a very large subject. You have to distinguish between
making
forms look good, and making a good application that users find easy to use.

You can make some super nice looking screens, but that don't make the
application easy to use. And, you can make some screens easy to navigate,
but those screens might still bug the heck of your users with too many
prompts! So, applications that are fluid in the sense that a user can do
what
they want, and the computer does NOT get in their way generally makes a good
application.

I already gave you a few links in your previous post..and there is a good
number of ideas and concepts contained in those links I gave you (using
menus that work the same as existing applications is a great tip). And, the
searching screen example I gave to you extremely important as it show that
you must make common tasks easy, and eliminate the need for the mouse in
tasks that users must do. If your users can enter the data they need from
start to finish via the keyboard, then you done them a HUGE favor. The
problem is these types of systems take a LOT of extra work.

I have a medium sized application..and I have 160 forms...must of these
"extra"
forms is due to me making each task easy. Making EACH task that a user easy
is very important. I write about his concept he

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Rides/Why_hcs.html

So, you might actually have to make some forms for a particular task...and
that is extra work. As this point you likely are still asking where is a
book
that tells me how to do this stuff? Well, software is much like art, and
you can read a bunch of guidelines on painting, but that don't get you
good art! And, unfortunately( or fortunately dependent on who you are)
good UI for software is the same as good art. You will simply have
to learn the fundamentals of good design here. There is not a book
that can teach you to sing well, or paint well. There are however
books that teach the fundamentals of these types of disciplines,
and that can then become the foundation for becoming a good
painter, or software developer.

As mentioned the philosophical approach here is required for you to learn
as to what makes good software. It is quite difficult to make a
application user friendly without first spending some time learning and
understanding what makes a bad application!

In other words, clearing up some existing screens may not result in a
application that is actually easier to use!

So, the first link here is to a on-line book on user interface stuff. It is
a real gem..and a must read! It is also quite short.

You can find this first link he

User Interface Design for Programmers
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook...000000057.html

The next link is just a whole bunch of examples of what you should NOT do!
This is nice since it is a series of screen shots and examples...a great way
to learn about bad things is seeing a bunch of examples:

Again, this another gem:

Interface Hall of Shame
http://digilander.libero.it/chiedilo...tect/shame.htm

And, here is one with some screens and ideas from MS, this one is some what
controversial, but it does show how some old screens were cleaned up into
some
nice screens. Take this one with a moderation..and it will be of use:

Microsoft Inductive User Interface Guidelines
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...guidelines.asp

And, here is Microsoft's standard guidelines on UI. this one is more
academic orientated, and likely a bit dry for you. However, it is the guide
lines..and there is some good stuff he

Official Guidelines for User Interface Developers and Designers
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/welcome.asp

All of the above ideas and concepts can be applied to ms-access applications
with much success. I not aware of a UI book for ms-access...but you got me
thinking there might be a book idea here...

--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn

Thank you for the helpful advice, I deeply appreciate it. I'm now very
excited about improving the input forms. I can see that I can REALLY
improve the application for our users. And I hope you write that book.
I think it would be a wonderful resource.

- David Kistner

Albert D. Kallal wrote:

This is actually a very large subject. You have to distinguish between
making
forms look good, and making a good application that users find easy to use.

You can make some super nice looking screens, but that don't make the
application easy to use. And, you can make some screens easy to navigate,
but those screens might still bug the heck of your users with too many
prompts! So, applications that are fluid in the sense that a user can do
what
they want, and the computer does NOT get in their way generally makes a good
application.

I already gave you a few links in your previous post..and there is a good
number of ideas and concepts contained in those links I gave you (using
menus that work the same as existing applications is a great tip). And, the
searching screen example I gave to you extremely important as it show that
you must make common tasks easy, and eliminate the need for the mouse in
tasks that users must do. If your users can enter the data they need from
start to finish via the keyboard, then you done them a HUGE favor. The
problem is these types of systems take a LOT of extra work.

I have a medium sized application..and I have 160 forms...must of these
"extra"
forms is due to me making each task easy. Making EACH task that a user easy
is very important. I write about his concept he

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Rides/Why_hcs.html

So, you might actually have to make some forms for a particular task...and
that is extra work. As this point you likely are still asking where is a
book
that tells me how to do this stuff? Well, software is much like art, and
you can read a bunch of guidelines on painting, but that don't get you
good art! And, unfortunately( or fortunately dependent on who you are)
good UI for software is the same as good art. You will simply have
to learn the fundamentals of good design here. There is not a book
that can teach you to sing well, or paint well. There are however
books that teach the fundamentals of these types of disciplines,
and that can then become the foundation for becoming a good
painter, or software developer.

As mentioned the philosophical approach here is required for you to learn
as to what makes good software. It is quite difficult to make a
application user friendly without first spending some time learning and
understanding what makes a bad application!

In other words, clearing up some existing screens may not result in a
application that is actually easier to use!

So, the first link here is to a on-line book on user interface stuff. It is
a real gem..and a must read! It is also quite short.

You can find this first link he

User Interface Design for Programmers
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook...000000057.html

The next link is just a whole bunch of examples of what you should NOT do!
This is nice since it is a series of screen shots and examples...a great way
to learn about bad things is seeing a bunch of examples:

Again, this another gem:

Interface Hall of Shame
http://digilander.libero.it/chiedilo...tect/shame.htm

And, here is one with some screens and ideas from MS, this one is some what
controversial, but it does show how some old screens were cleaned up into
some
nice screens. Take this one with a moderation..and it will be of use:

Microsoft Inductive User Interface Guidelines
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...guidelines.asp

And, here is Microsoft's standard guidelines on UI. this one is more
academic orientated, and likely a bit dry for you. However, it is the guide
lines..and there is some good stuff he

Official Guidelines for User Interface Developers and Designers
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/welcome.asp

All of the above ideas and concepts can be applied to ms-access applications
with much success. I not aware of a UI book for ms-access...but you got me
thinking there might be a book idea here...


David L. Kistner wrote:
My data entry forms need to be more professional in look and function.

Our MS Access program captures a lot of information from users (over 300
data elements from each user). They are required to answer many
questions and provide quite a bit of free text information. I've tried
different approaches to make the input screens function well and look
professional, but I'm really frustrated with the outcome. They "work"
but they look so amatuerish and are awkward to navigate.

Is there a good book that would help me improve my skills? Or is there a
site on the Internet that might be a good example of how to capture a
lot of information in a professional looking way?

Thanks for taking the time to help.

- David Kistner

David L. Kistner wrote:
Thank you for the helpful advice, I deeply appreciate it. I'm now
very excited about improving the input forms. I can see that I can
REALLY improve the application for our users. And I hope you write
that book. I think it would be a wonderful resource.


If you're really looking for a book, I've seen 'About Face' by Alan Cooper
recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

There's also Rebecca Riordan's 'Seeing Data'

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP