Heuristics for designing enjoyable user interfaces: lessons from computer games

Reviewer: Andrew Michael Cohill

This paper applies some data acquired from a study of computer games to system-user interfaces. The computer game studies are summarized briefly, and the results are used to justify a set of guidelines for designing “enjoyable” user interfaces. The author identifies three characteristics of an enjoyable interface: challenge, fantasy, and curiosity. For an activity to be challenging, it should have clearly defined goals and an uncertain outcome. In a computer system, the uncertain outcome can be achieved by presenting a variable level of difficulty. Feedback, in the form of score-keeping, is also important. Fantasy can play a part in a system by providing an analogy that makes it easier for the user to understand how the system works. Finally, the system can be more stimulating, or curiosity-provoking, by introducing a carefully controlled amount of randomness and humor. The author's main point is a set of heuristics for designing “enjoyable” user interfaces. The information is useful for system designers, and helps to explain why many computer systems are so boring. There seems to be an unwritten rule, particularly in the commerical world, that software must be properly serious. Perhaps this paper will promote the design of a system that does not take itself so seriously. In the course of the discussion, the author gives the definition of a tool and the definition of a game (or toy). These two ideas offer an interesting insight into the design of systems. A good game is easy to learn, but difficult to master. A good tool is easy to learn and easy to master. Given these distinctions, one begins to see that many computer systems (which should be tools) have more in common with the games (hard to master); obscure syntax and myriad options make it difficult to master, but pleasing, perhaps, to the games-playing nature of its designer.