Application Interface Design

An exhaustive behind-the-scenes exploration of application interface design through the lens of building a SaaS bug and issue tracker. It focused on evaluating what to include and exclude and how minor decisions could have wide-ranging ripple effects in the design and user experience.

Transcript

1. Application Interface Design
   The Softer Side of Things
   

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2. Build one thing and launch it.
   Now.
   

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3. Find your core.
   And stick to it.
   

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5. Alex Hamilton
   If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for
   anything.
   “
   ”
   

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8. Focused.
   Everything to Everyone.
   

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9. Find a
   counter-
   balance.
   You have to keep
   yourself in check.
   

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10. It should __________.
    

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12. Seth Godin
    To really stand for something, you must
    make difficult decisions, mostly about
    what you won’t do.
    “
    ”
    

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13. Steve Jobs
    [Innovation] comes from saying no to
    1,000 thigns to make sure we don’t get
    on the wrong track or try to do too
    much. We’re always thinking about new
    markets we could enter, but it’s only by
    saying no that you can concentrate on the
    things that are really important.
    “
    ”
    

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14. It will not __________.
    

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16. Slow & Steady.
    It’s not a race. Be deliberate
    about adding new features.
    

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17. Ripple Effect.
    Even small changes can, and
    will, have significant impacts.
    

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18. Don’t be distracted.
    By features or shiny objects.
    

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19. Unknown
    If everything is important, then nothing is.
    “ ”
    

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23. Status
    Resolution
    Assignee
    Opener
    Creation Date
    Due Date
    Category
    Type
    Release
    Priority
    Severity
    Impact
    LOE (Estimated)
    LOE (Actual)
    Browser/OS
    Relationships
    Keep it.
    Redundant with the resolving comment.
    Keep it.
    Captured implicitly.
    Captured implicitly.
    Always “yesterday”. Priority should dictate this.
    Keep it.
    Overkill. Handle with categories.
    Soon, but not yet.
    Keep it.
    Factor it into Priority.
    Factor it into Priority.
    Creates overhead and doesn’t belong.
    Creates overhead and doesn’t belong.
    Doesn’t apply to issues. Capture in comments.
    Capture in comments.
    

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25. Is it noticeable?
    Use emphasis sparingly.
    

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30. Will it blend (in)?
    It’s about what you don’t see.
    

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31. Resolved Closed
    Open
    Reopen
    Reopen
    Enter
    Resolution
    Approve
    Resolution
    Email
    API
    Web Entry
    

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32. Open
    Resolved
    Reopened
    Closed
    

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38. Just build it.
    It’s not written in stone.
    

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40. It doesn’t have to be pretty for
    you to figure out if it works well.
    

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41. It just needs to work.
    

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42. Don’t waffle.
    Stop at “good enough”
    and circle back later.
    

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43. First Draft
    Final Draft
    ?
    

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50. Eat your
    own dogfood.
    Get to a point where you can
    and will use it yourself.
    

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51. Launch.
    The sooner, the better.
    

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52. Development Time
    Publicly Available
    Publicly Available
    Development Time
    OPTION 1
    Later Launch
    OPTION 2
    Earlier Launch
    The Late Launch
    The Early Launch
    

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53. Development Time
    Publicly Available
    Publicly Available
    Development Time
    OPTION 1
    Later Launch
    OPTION 2
    Earlier Launch
    Feature A Feature C
    Feature B Feature D
    Feature E
    

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54. Development Time
    Publicly Available
    Publicly Available
    Development Time
    OPTION 1
    Later Launch
    OPTION 2
    Earlier Launch
    The Overlap Window
    Safe
    Risky
    

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55. Share.
    No interface should
    be an island.
    

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57. rhino-project@apple.tracker.com
    A
    B
    C
    D
    E
    F
    A
    B
    C
    D
    E
    F
    C
    The browser isn’t the only
    interface to design for.
    

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59. A B C
    A
    B
    C
    Command
    Issue #
    Message
    

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61. Credits
    Chipmunk & Apple Core - http://flickr.com/photos/qmnonic/2649575878/
    Stone Writing - http://flickr.com/photos/madzik/33230383/
    Disco Dolphin - http://flickr.com/photos/bionicteaching/1485798979/
    Puppy Tug of War - http://flickr.com/photos/b1n4ry/6926617/
    Camo Cat - http://flickr.com/photos/bcorreira/1897923229/
    Emphasis Flower - http://flickr.com/photos/prakhar/2348656344/
    Jump - http://flickr.com/photos/benmcleod/186110878/
    Lego People - http://flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/305410323/
    Turtle - http://flickr.com/photos/randomurl/763741547/
    Water Ripples - http://flickr.com/photos/trvr3307/23203774/
    Sharing - http://flickr.com/photos/ryanr/142455033/
    Not Sharing - http://flickr.com/photos/ryanr/142454711/in/photostream/
    Waffle - http://flickr.com/photos/dasqfamily/2255557633/
    Dog food - http://flickr.com/photos/direz/2845924068/
    Thank You - http://flickr.com/photos/gi/304120801/
    

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62. Thanks.
    

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