Software Usability: Database User Interface Evaluation


A good interface will increase productivity and reduce mistakes for those who enter and retrieve information from the database.

TRUE is the preferred answer for these:
  1. I do NOT have to repeat similar steps frequently.
  2. I do NOT repeatedly have to enter the same information in a given field. Default entries are present and are helpful.
  3. When a new window opens, it’s the right size and in the right position. It is the same as when I last used the window.
  4. When a new data entry or query window opens, the cursor is in the right spot so I can start typing right away and do NOT have to click into the field first.
  5. It is easy to navigate without a mouse. There are keyboard shortcuts that are easy to remember and are easy to execute (i.e. single key presses as opposed to pressing multiple keys simultaneously).
  6. Information is laid out in a logical format. It is easy to find what I am looking for on a screen. A minimum amount of scrolling and clicking is required.
  7. It is possible to upload data that exists in alternate electronic formats (e.g. spreadsheets) to avoid manual data entry.
  8. The screen is easy to look at (colours, character sizes, etc) and I can change it easily.
  9. After I press a button, I receive feedback that the command is being executed (especially for tasks that take a few seconds to complete). I don’t ever wonder if the system has crashed.
  10. Where deleting or modifying records could be unintended, confirmation is requested. Common mistakes are typically reversible.
  11. There is nothing else about the interface that I don't like or could be made easier.