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User Interface Considerations

This content is no longer actively maintained. It is provided as is, for anyone who may still be using these technologies, with no warranties or claims of accuracy with regard to the most recent product version or service release.

The user interface is perhaps the most important part of an application; it is certainly the most visible. To users, the interface is the application; they might not even be aware of the code that is executing behind the scenes. No matter how much time and effort you put into writing and optimizing your code, the usability of your application depends on the interface.

When you design an application, a number of decisions must be made regarding the interface. Should you use the single-document or multiple-document style? How many different forms will you require? How much assistance must you provide?

Before you begin designing the user interface, you must think about the purpose of the application you designed in Planning a Workflow Process for Exchange Server. The design for a primary application that will be in constant use should be different from one that is used only occasionally for short periods. An application with the primary purpose of displaying information has different requirements than one used to gather information.

The intended audience also should influence your design. An application aimed at less-experienced users demands simplicity in its design, while one for experienced users can be more complex. Other applications used by your target audience might influence their expectations for an application's behavior. If you plan to distribute internationally, language and culture must be considered part of your design.

In addition, you can refer to the Microsoft® Developer Network (MSDN®) Library at www.msdn.microsoft.com for additional information about designing a user interface and working with Web pages.

See Also

Developing Application with Microsoft Office Developer | Creating Projects | Developing Workflow Applications for Exchange Server | Planning a Workflow Process for Exchange Server | Building a Workflow Process for Exchange Server