What is the principle of least astonishment in design?

What is the principle of least astonishment in design?

Principle of least astonishment. The principle of least astonishment (POLA), also called the principle of least surprise (alternatively a “law” or “rule”) applies to user interface and software design.

What causes astonishment if there is no help?

Software that instead uses this shortcut for another feature is likely to cause astonishment if no help appears. A programming language ‘s standard library usually provides a function similar to the pseudocode ParseInteger (string, radix), which creates a machine-readable integer from a string of human-readable digits.

Are there any keyboard shortcuts that cause astonishment?

A similar keyboard shortcut in macOS is ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift + /. Users expect a help window or context menu when they press the usual help shortcut key (s). Software that instead uses this shortcut for another feature is likely to cause astonishment if no help appears.

When does a feature have a high astonishment factor?

If a feature is accidentally misapplied by the user and causes what appears to him to be an unpredictable result, that feature has a high astonishment factor and is therefore undesirable. If a necessary feature has a high astonishment factor, it may be necessary to redesign the feature.

What is the rule or law of Least Astonishment?

{ {PsyPersepctive]] The principle of least astonishment ( POLA / PLA) applies to user interface design, software design, and ergonomics. It is alternatively referred to as the rule or law of least astonishment, or the rule or principle of least surprise ( POLS ).

How does the minimization of the astonishment factor enhance usability?

The minimization of the Astonishment factor greatly enhances the Usability principle described by Morville. A careful flow analysis can highlight the more abrupt and unexpected breaks in the logic flow, especially as it relates to the user’s journey within the system.

Why is the principle of Least Surprise important?

Talking from user experience perspective, the principle of least surprise should serve us as a good reminder of what TO DO, and what to AVOID. Users interacting with our applications, services or something else should not be surprised with the way application or service is working.