GUI guidelines for information presentation

  • Organize the user interface so that the information flows either vertically or horizontally, with the most important information always located in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  • Group related controls together using either white space or a frame.
  • Place the most commonly used command button first.
  • Assign meaningful captions to command buttons.
  • Place the caption on one line and use from one to three words only.
  • Command buttons in the interface should be sized relative to each other.
  • If the command buttons are centered on the bottom of the screen, then each button should be the same height; there widths, however, may vary.
  • If the command buttons are stacked in a corner, then each should be the same height and the same width.