Setting Standards
One common approach to application development is to start by creating and then refining standards, based on prototyping efforts and usability testing. Because each company's requirements are unique, the best standards for your company will also be unique.
Consider developing three types of standards:
- Coding standards, including naming standards for all objects and files.
- GUI standards, including standards for screen appearance, such as color,
spacing and layout, as well as standards for specific GUI objects, such as
buttons and check boxes.
- Usage standards, including look-and-feel standards that ensure that various
parts of the application react to user input in the same way.
- For guidance in setting UI standards, consult the following platform-specific
references:
- Microsoft Windows: The Windows Interface: An Application Design
Guide
- Motif: Motif Style Guide
- Macintosh: Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines
Related topics
Guidelines for Creating Standards
Creating a Reusable Object